E 

77 

C415 
1989 
MAIN 


CATLIN'S    NOTES 

OF 

EIGHT  YEARS'  TRAVELS   AND  RESIDENCE 
IN  EUROPE, 

WITH  HIS 

NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIAN  COLLECTION. 

VOLUME  II. 


CATLIFS  IOTES 


OF 


EIGHT  YEARS'  TRAVELS  AND  RESIDENCE 
JJn   Europe, 


WITH   HIS 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIAN  COLLECTION 


WITH    ANECDOTES   AND    INCIDENTS   OF   THE    TRAVELS   AND   ADVENTURES   OF    THRF.K 

DIFFERENT  PARTIES    OF   AMERICAN   INDIANS   WHOM   HE    INTRODUCED 

TO   THE    COURTS   OF 


ENGLAND,   FRANCE  AND  BELGIUM. 


IN    TWO   VOLUMES   OCTAVO 


VOL.    II. 


WITH    NUMEROUS  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


N  E  W  -  Y  O  R  K  : 
BURGESS,    STRINGER   &  CO.,  222    BROADWAY 

1848. 


Entered  according  to  an  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  184s,  by 

G  E  O  K  G  E      C  A  T  L  I  N  , 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Southern  District  of  j\ew  Yor! 


.  r.t  ^Pj 

,^,i/i5:i 


CONTENTS    OF    VOL.   II. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Arrival  of  fourteen  loway  Indians  in  London — Their  lodgings  in  St. 
James's  Street — The  Author  visits  them — Their  portraits  and  names — 
Mr.  Melody,  their  conductor — Jeffrey  Doraway,  their  interpreter — 
Landlady's  alarm — Indians  visit  the  Author's  Collection  in  the  Egyptian 
Hall — Arrangement  to  dance  in  the  Collection — The  Doctor  (Medicine 
or  Mystery  man)  on  top  of  the  Hall — Their  first  drive  in  a  bus — Doctor's 
appearance  outside  —  Indians'  first  impressions  of  London  —  Lascars 
sweeping  the  streets — Man  with  a  big  nose — The  Doctor  lost,  and  found 
on  the  housetop — Their  first  exhibition  in  Egyptian  Hall — Eagle-dance 
—The  Doctor's  speech — Great  amusement  of  the  ladies — His  description 
of  the  railroad  from  Liverpool  to  London — War-dance,  great  applause 
— The  "jolly  fat  dame  " — She  presents  a  gold  bracelet  to  the  Doctor 
by  mistake — Her  admiration  of  the  Roman-nose — War-whoop — Descrip 
tion  of — Approaching-dance — Wolf-song,  and  description  of — Great 
amusement  of  the  audience  —  Shaking  hands  —  Mistake  with  the 
bracelet Page  1 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Character  of  the  Doctor  (mystery  or  medicine  man) — An  omnibus-drive — 
The  Doctor's  admiration  of  the  "  jolly  fat  dame  " — Jealousy — War-dress 
and  war-paint  of  the  Roman-nose — His  appearance — He  leads  the  War- 
dance — The  Welcome-dance,  and  Bear-dance — Description  of — Pipe-of- 
pcace  (or  Calumet)  dance,  and  Scalp  -  dance — Chip-pe-ho-la  (the 
Author} — Speech  of  the  War-chief— The  "jolly  fat  dame  " — She  pre 
sents  a  gold  bracelet  to  Roman-nose — Jealousy  and  distress  of  the 
Doctor — She  converses  with  Daniel — Two  reverend  gentlemen  converse 
with  the  Indians  about  religion — Reply  of  White-cloud  and  War-chief 
— Questions  by  the  reverend  gentlemen — Answers  by  the  War-chief — 
Indians  invited  to  breakfast  with  Mr.  Disraeli,  M.P.,  Park  Lane — 
Indians'  toilette  and  dress — The  Doctor  and  Jim  (Wash-ka-mon-ya) 
fasting  for  the  occasion 27 


VI  CONTENTS  OF  VOL.    II. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Kind  reception  at  Mr.  Disraeli's — View  of  Hyde  Park  from  the  top  of 
his  house — Review  of  troops,  and  sham  fight — Breakfast-table — The 
Doctor  missing — The  Author  finds  him  in  the  bathing-room — Cham 
pagne  wine — Refused  by  the  Indians — Chickabobboo  :  Chippeliola  tells 
the  story  of  it — The  Indians  drink — Presents — The  "  big  looking- 
glass  " — The  Doctor  smiles  in  it — Speech  of  the  War-chief — Shake  of 
hands,  and  return — Exhibition-room,  Egyptian  Hall — Doctor  presents  a 
string  of  wampum  and  the  "  White-feather  "  to  the  "  jolly  fat  dame  "- 

Indians  talk  about  chickabobboo — The  Rev.  Mr.  G calls — A  different 

religion  (a  Catholic) — Interview  appointed — Two  Methodist  clergymen 
call — Indians  refuse  to  see  them — The  giant  and  giantess  visit  the  In 
dians — The  Doctor  measuring  the  giantess — The  talk  with  the  Catholic 
clergyman Page  47 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Doctor  and  Jim  visit  several  churches — The  Indians  in  St.  Paul's — 
In  Westminster  Abbey — The  exhibition  at  the  Hall — The  Doctor  agrees 
to  go  in  the  carriage  of  the  "  jolly  fat  dame  " — Mr.  Melody  objects — 
The  Doctor's  melancholy — Indians  stop  the  bus  to  talk  with  Lascars — 
Make  them  presents  of  money — Indians  discover  chickabobboo-ags  (gin- 
palaces) — and  ladies  lying  down  in  their  carriages  reading  books — CJiim- 
e-gotch-ees  (or  fish) — Jim's  story  of  "  Fish  " — Experiments  in  mesmerism 
— Wash-ka-mon-ya  (Jim)  mesmerized — The  Doctor's  opinions  on  mes 
merism — loways  in  Lord's  Cricket-ground — Archery  and  ball-playing — 
Encampment — Wigwams — Indians  invited  by  Mrs.  Lawrence  to  Ealing 
Park — Their  kind  reception — Their  Royal  Highnesses  the  Duke  and 
Duchess  of  Cambridge — The  Princess  Mary — The  Duchess  of  Gloucester 
— The  Hereditary  Grand  Duke  and  Duchess,  and  other  distinguished 
guests — Amusements — Beautiful  grounds — Indians  dine  on  the  lawn — 
Roast  beef  and  plum-pudding — Chickabobboo — Alarm  of  the  parrots — 
Doctor's  superstition — Chickabobboo  explained — Speech  of  the  War- 
chief — Taking  leave — Fright  of  the  poor  birds — Handsome  presents — 
Conservatory — The  Doctor's  ideas  of  it — Indians  visit  Surrey  Zoological 
Gardens — Fright  of  the  birds  and  animals — Indians  sacrifice  tobacco  to 
the  lion  and  the  rattle-snakes 63 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Indians'  remarks  on  the  Zoological  Gardens — Their  pity  for  the  poor  buf 
falo  and  other  animals  imprisoned — Jim's  talk  with  a  clergyman  abuut 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  II.  Vll 

Hell  and  the  hyaenas — Indians'  ideas  of  astronomy — Jim  and  the  Doctor 
hear  of  the  hells  of  London — Desire  to  go  into  them — Promised  to  go — 
Indians  counting  the  gin-palaces  (chickabobboo-ags)  in  a  ride  to  Blackwall 
and  back — The  result — Exhibition  in  the  Egyptian  Hall — A  sudden 
excitement — The  War-chief  recognises  in  the  crowd  his  old  friend 
"Bobasheela" — Their  former  lives  on  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri — 
Bobasheela  an  Englishman — His  travels  in  the  "  Far  West "  of  America 
— Story  of  their  first  acquaintance — The  doomed  wedding-party — Lieut. 
Pike — Daniel  Boone  and  Son — Indians  visit  a  great  brewery — Kind  re 
ception  by  the  proprietors — Great  surprise  of  the  Indians — Immense 
quantities  of  chickabobboo — War-dance  in  an  empty  vat — Daniel  com 
mences  Jim's  book  of  the  statistics  of  England — Indians  visit  the  Tunnel 
— Visit  to  the  Tower — The  Horse  Armoury — The  Royal  Regalia — 
Indians'  ideas  of  the  crowns  and  jewels — "  Totems"  (arms)  on  the  fronts 
of  noblemen's  houses — Royal  arms  over  the  shops — Strange  notions  of 
the  Doctor — They  see  the  "man  with  the  big  nose"  again — And  the 
"  great  white  War-chief  (the  Duke  of  Wellington)  on  horseback,  near 
his  wigwam " .  Page  90 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  loways  in  Vauxhall  Gardens— Surrey  Theatre — Carter  in  the  lions' 
cage — Astonishment  of  the  Indians — Indians  in  the  Diving  Bell,  at  the 
Polytechnic  Institution — Indians  riding — Shooting  at  target  on  horseback 
— Ball-play — "  Jolly  fat  dame  " — Ladies  converse  with  the  Doctor — 
His  reasons  for  not  marrying— Curious  questions— Plurality  of  wives — 
Amusing  scene — The  Author  in  Indian  costume — A  cruel  experiment  — 
loways  arrive  in  Birmingham — The  Author's  arrival  there — Society  of 
Friends — Indians  all  breakfast  with  Mr.  Joseph  Sturge — Kind  treatment 
— Conversation  after  breakfast  about  religion  and  education — Reply  of 
the  War-chief — The  button-factory  of  Turner  and  Sons — Generous  pre 
sents  to  the  Indians — Bobasheela  arrives — Indians  dividing  their  buttons 
— Doctor  found  on  top  of  the  Shakespeare  Buildings — Indians'  kindness 
to  a  beggar-woman — Poorhouses  —  Many  Friends  visit  the  Indians — 
Indians'  visit  to  Miss  Catherine  Hutton — Her  great  age — Her  kind 
ness — Dinner — Her  presents  to  them  in  money — Parting  scene — The 
War-chief's  speech  to  her — Her  letters  to  the  Author — Indians  present 
to  the  two  hospitals  370  dollars— Address  read  by  the  Presidents  to  the 
Indians — Doctor's  reply — Indians  start  for  York — A  fox-hunt — Curious 
notions  of  Indians  about  it — Visit  to  York  Minster — Ascend  the  grand 
tower — Visit  to  the  castle  and  prison — Museum  of  the  instruments  of 
murder — Alarm  of  the  Doctor — Kindness  of  the  governor  of  the  castle 
and  his  lady — Indians'  ideas  of  imprisonment  for  debt,  and  punishment 
for  murder 117 


Vlll  CONTENTS  OF  VOL.   II. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Newcastlc-on-Tyne — Indians'  alarms  about  jails — Kind  visits  from  Friends 
— Mrs.  A.  Richardson — Advice  of  the  Friends — War-Chief's  reply — 
Liberal  presents — Arrive  at  Sunderland — Kindness  of  the  Friends — All 
breakfast  with  Mr.  T.  Richardson — Indians  plant  trees  in  his  garden — 
And  the  Author  also — The  Doctor's  superstition — Sacrifice — Feast 
— Illness  of  the  Roman  Nose — Indians  visit  a  coalpit — North  Shields — 
A  sailors'  dinner  and  a  row — Arrive  at  Edinburgh — A  drive — First 
exhibition  there — Visit  to  Salisbury  Crag — To  Arthur's  Seat — Holyrood 
House  and  Castle — The  crown  of  Robert  Bruce — The  "  big  gun, "- 
"Queen  Mab  " — Curious  modes  of  building — "Flats" — Origin  of — 
Illness  of  Corsair,  the  little  pappoose — The  old  Doctor  speaks — War- 
chief's  speech — A  feast  of  ducks — Indians'  remarks  upon  the  government 
of  Scotland — "The  swapping  of  crowns'' — The  Doctor  proposes  the 
crown  of  Robert  Bruce  for  Prince  Albert — Start  for  Dundee — Indians' 
liberality — A  noble  act — Arrival  at  Dundee — Death  of  little  Corsair — 
Distress  of  the  Little  Wolf  and  his  wife — Curious  ceremony — Young 
men  piercing  their  arms — Indians  at  Perth — Arrival  in  Glasgow — Quar 
tered  in  the  Town-hall — The  cemetery — The  Hunterian  Museum — The 
Doctor's  admiration  of  it — Daily  drives — Indians  throw  money  to  the 
poor — Alarm  for  Roman  Nose — Two  reverend  gentlemen  talk  with 
the  Indians  —  War-chief's  remarks  —  Greenock  —  Doctor's  regret  at 
leaving Page  155 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Arrival  in  Dublin — Decline  of  the  Roman  Nose — Exhibition  in  the  Ro 
tunda — Feast  of  ducks — First  drive — Phoenix  Park — Stags — Indians' 
ideas  of  game-laws  and  taxes — Annual  expenses  of  British  government. 
— National  debt — Daniel  enters  these  in  Jim's  book — Indians  called 
"  Irishmen" — Author's  reply — Speech  of  the  War-chief — Jim's  rapid 
civilization — New  estimates  for  his  book — Daniel  reads  of  "  Murders, 
&c.,"  in  Times  newspaper — Jim  subscribes  for  the  Times — Petition  of 
100,000  women — Society  of  Friends  meet  the  Indians  in  the  Rotunda — 
Their  advice,  and  present  to  the  chiefs  40/. — Indians  invited  to  Zoolo 
gical  Gardens — Presented  with  367. — Indians  invited  to  Trinity  College 
— Conversation  with  the  Rev.  Master  on  religion — Liberal  presents — 
They  visit  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin — Presents — All  breakfast  with  Mr. 
Joseph  Bewly,  a  Friend — Kind  treatment — Christian  advice — Sickness 
of  Roman  Nose — Various  entertainments  by  the  Friends — A  curious 
beggar — Indians'  liberality  to  the  poor — Arrival  at  Liverpool — Rejoicing 
and  feast — Council — Roman  Nose  placed  in  an  hospital — Arrival  in 
Manchester — Exhibition  in  Free  Trade  Hall — Immense  platform — 
Three  wigwams — Archery — Ball-play,  &c. — Great  crowds — Bobaskeela 
arrives — Death  of  the  Roman  Nose — Forms  of  burial,  &c 178 


CONTENTS  OF   VOL.  II.  IX 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  Author  arrives  in  Paris —Victoria  Hotel— Mr.  Melody  and  his  Indians 
arrive — Doctor  missing,  and  found  on  the  top  of  the  hotel — Alarm  of 
servants — First  drive  in  Paris — Visit  to  Mr.  King,  the  American  ambas 
sador — French  chickabobboo— ^l.  Vattcmare — Indians  visit  the  Hotel  do 
Ville — Prefet  de  Police — Magnificent  salons  —The  "  big  looking-glasses" 
— The  Prefet's  lady — Refreshments  and  chickabobboo — Speech  of  the 
War-chief — Reply  of  the  Prefet — Salle  Valentino  taken  for  the  exhi 
bition — Daniel  arrives  with  the  Collection  from  London — Indians  visit 
the  King  in  the  palace  of  the  Tuileries — Royal  personages — Conversa 
tion — War-chief  presents  the  calumet — His  speech  to  the  King — Eagle- 
dance — War-dance — Little  Wolf  presents  his  tomahawk  and  whip  to 
the  King — His  speech — Refreshments  and  "  Queen's  chickabobboo" — 
Drinking  the  King's  and  Queen's  health,  and  health  of  the  Count  de 
Paris — "  Vive  le  Roi  " — Jim's  opinion  of  the  King — An  Indian's  idea 
of  descents — Presents  in  money  from  the  King — Mode  of  dividing  it — 
A  drive — Ladies  leading  dogs  with  strings — The  number  counted  in  one 
drive — The  Indians'  surprise — An  entry  for  Jim's  book — Jim  laments 
the  loss  of  the  Times  newspaper  and  Punch — He  takes  Galignani's  Mes 
senger — Indians  dine  at  W.  Costar's — The  Doctor's  compliment  to  a 
lady's  line  voice — Indians  visit  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences — Curious 
reception — M.  Arago — Indians'  suspicions  and  alarms — Jim's  remarkable 
speech — Opening  of  the  exhibition  in  Salle  Valentino — Great  excite 
ment — Speech  of  the  War-chief — Shaking  hands — Public  opinion  of  the 
Author's  Collection Page  203 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Indians  at  Madame  Greene's  parry — Their  ideas  of  waltzing — The  Doctor's 
admiration  of  the  young  ladies — The  King's  fete,  ]st  of  May — Indians 
in  the  Palace — Royal  Family  in  the  balcony — Grand  and  sublime  scene 
on  the  river — Indians  in  a  crowd  of  nobility  in  the  Due  d'Aumale's  apart 
ments — Messenger  to  Indians'  apartments  with  gold  and  silver  medals — 
•  Medals  to  the  women  and  children — Consequent  difficulties — Visit  to 
the  Hospital  of  Invalids — Place  Concorde — Column  of  Luxor — The 
fountains — Visit  to  the  Triumphal  Arch — Jim's  description  of  an  ugly 
woman — Victor  Hugo — Madame  Georges  Sands — Indians  visit  the 
Louvre — M.  de  Cailleux — Baron  de  Humboldt— Illness  of  the  wife  of 
Little  Wolf — A  phrenologist  visits  the  Indians — The  phrenologist's  head 
examined — Two  Catholic  priests  visit  the  Indians — Indians  visit  the 
Garden  of  Plants — Alarm  of  the  birds  and  animals — The  "  poor  prisoner 
buffalo" — Visit  to  the  Salle  avx  Vins — Astonishment  of  the  Indians  — 
The  war-whoop — Chickabobboo  —  Cafes  explained  —  Indians  visit  Perela 

VOL.   II.  b 


CONTEXTS  OF  VOL.  II. 

Chaise — A  great  funeral — A  speech  over  the  grave — Hired  mourners — 
Visit  the  School  of  Medicine — and  "  Dupuytrens  Room" — Excitement 
of  the  Doctor — Visit  to  the  Foundling  Hospital — Astonishment  and 
pity  of  the  Indians — Entries  in  Jim's  note-book,  and  Doctor's  remarks — 
Visit  the  Guillotine — Indians'  ideas  of  hanging  in  England,  and  l>fi- 
headhifj  in  France — Curious  debate — Visit  to  the  Dog  Market — Jim's 
purchase  and  difficulty — The  Dog  Hospital — Alarm  of  the  "petite? 
maladcs" — Retreat — Bobasheela  arrives  from  London — Great  rejoicing 
— Jim's  comments  on  the  Frenchwomen — The  little  foundlings  and  the 
little  dogs Page  232 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

La  Morgue — The  Catacombs — The  Doctor's  dream — Their  great  alarm — 
Visit  to  the  Hippodrome — Jim  riding  M.  Franconi's  horse — Indians  in 
the  Woods  of  Boulogne — Fright  of  the  rabbits — Jim  and  the  Doctor  at 
the  Bal  Mabille,  Champs  Elysees — At  the  Masquerade,  Grand  Opera — 
Their  opinions  and  criticisms  on  them — Frenchwomen  at  confession  in 
St.  Roch — Doctor's  ideas  of  it — Jim's  speech — "Industrious  fleas" - 
Death  of  the  wife  of  Little  Wolf — Her  baptism — Husband's  distress — 
Her  funeral  in  the  Madeleine — Her  burial  in  Montmartre — Council  held — 
Indians  resolve  to  return  to  America — Preparations  to  depart  in  a  few 
days — Bobasheela  goes  to  London  to  ship  their  boxes  to  New  York — 
He  returns,  and  accompanies  the  Indians  to  Havre — Indians  take  leave 
of  CItippcliola  (the  Author) — M.  Vattemare  accompanies  them  to  Havre 
— Kindly  treated  by  Mr.  Winslow,  an  American  gentleman,  at  Havre — 
A  splendid  dinner,  and  (Queen's}  ChicJidbobboo — Indians  embark — 
Taking  leave  of  Bobasheela — Illness  of  the  Author's  lady — His  alarm 
and  distress — Her  death — Obituary — Her  remains  embalmed  and  sent  to 
New  York  .  201 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Eleven  Ojibbeway  Indians  arrive  from  London  —  Their  exhibitions 
in  the  Author's  Collection  —  Portraits  and  description  of — Their 
amusements — Their  pledge  to  sobriety — Chickabobboo  explained  to 
them — Birth  of  a  Pappoose — M.  Gudin  ;  Indians  and  the  Author  dine  with 
him — His  kind  lady — The  Author  breakfeasts  with  the  Royal  Family 
in  the  palace  at  St.  Cloud — Two  Kings  and  two  Queens  at  the  table — 
The  Author  presented  to  the  King  and  Queen  of  the  Belgians  by  Louis 
Philippe,  in  the  salon — Count  de  Paris — Due  de  Brabant — Recollects 
the  Indian  pipe  and  mocassins  presented  to  him  by  the  Author  in  the 
Egyptian  Hall — Duchess  of  Orleans — The  Princess  Adelaide — The  King- 
relates  anecdotes  of  his  life  in  America — Washington's  farewell  address 


CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  II.  XI 

— Losing  his  dog  in  the  Seneca  village — Crossing  Buffalo  Creek — De 
scending  the  Tioga  and  Susquehana  rivers  in  an  Indian  canoe  to  Wyo 
ming,  the  Author's  native  valley — The  King  desires  the  Author  to  ar 
range  his  whole  Collection  in  the  Louvre  for  the  private  views  of  the 
Royal  Family — He  also  appoints  a  day  to  see  the  Ojibbeways  in  the 
Park  at  St.  Cloud — Great  rejoicing  of  the  Indians — A  dog-feast — The 
Indians  and  the  Author  dine  a  second  time  at  M.  Gudin's  .  .  Page  278 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Indians'  visit  to  the  Palace  of  St.  Cloud — The  Park — Artificial  lake — 
Royal  Family — Prince  de  Joinville — Recollected  seeing  the  Author  and 
Collection  in  Washington — King  and  Queen  of  Belgians — The  regatta 
— The  birch-bark  canoe,  and  the  Prince  de  Joinville's  "  Whitehaller  "- 
War-dance — Ball-play — Archery — Dinner  prepared  for  the  Indians — 
M.  Gudin  and  the  Author  join  them — Indians'  return — Gossip  at  night 
— Their  ideas  of  the  King  and  Royal  Family — Messenger  from  the  King, 
with  gold  and  silver  medals  and  money,  to  the  Indians — The  War-chief 
cures  a  cancer — Author's  Collection  in  the  Salle  de  Seance,  in  the  Louvre 
— The  Indians  and  the  Author  dine  with  M.  Passy,  Member  of  Deputies 
—Kind  treatment  by  himself  and  lady — King  visits  the  Collection  in  the 
Louvre — The  Author  explains  his  pictures — Persons  present — An  hour's 
visit — The  King  retires — Second  visit  of  the  King  and  Royal  Family  to 
the  Collection — The  Author's  four  little  children  presented  to  the  King 
— His  Majesty  relates  the  anecdote  of  bleeding  himself  in  America, 
and  his  visit  to  General  Washington  at  Mount  Vernon — His  descent  of 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers  in  a  small  boat,  to  New  Orleans — 
Orders  the  Author  to  paint  fifteen  pictures  for  Versailles  ....  287 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

The  Author  leaves  his  Collection  in  the  Louvre,  and  arrives  with  the  In 
dians  in  Bruxelles — Indians  at  the  soiree  of  the  American  Minister  in 
Bruxelles — Author's  reception  by  the  King  in  the  Palace — Small-pox 
among  the  Indians — Indians  unable  to  visit  the  Palace — Exhibition  closes 
— Seven  sick  with  small-pox — Death  of  one  of  them — His  will — A 
second  dies — His  will — The  rest  recover — Faithful  attentions  of  Daniel — 
The  Author  accompanies  them  to  Antwerp,  and  pays  their  expenses  to 
London  on  a  steamer — Death  of  the  War-chief  in  London — His  will — The 
Author  raises  money  by  subscription  and  sends  to  them — Letter  from 
the  survivors,  in  England,  to  the  Author — Drawings  by  the  War-chief 
—The  Author  stopped  in  the  streets  of  London  and  invited  to  see  the 
skeleton  of  the  War-chief! — His  indignation — Subsequent  deaths  of  four 


Xll  CONTENTS  OF  VOL.  II. 

others  of  this  party  in  England — The  three  parties  of  Indians  in  Europe 
— Their  objects — Their  success —Their  conduct — Their  reception  and 
treatment — Things  which  they  saw  and  learned — Estimates  and  statistics 
of  civilized  life  which  they  have  carried  home — Their  mode  of  reasoning 
from  such  premises — And  the  probable  results Page  294 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

The  Author  returns  to  his  little  children  in  Paris — His  loss  of  time  and 
money — The  three  Indian  speculations — His  efforts  to  promote  the  in- 
ter°st?  of  the  Indians,  and  the  persons  who  brought  them  to  Europe — 
Hi&  'vice  to  other  persons  wishing  to  engage  in  similar  enterprises — The 
Author  retires  to  his  atelier,  and  paints  the  fifteen  pictures  for  the  King 
— The  pleasure  of  quiet  and  retirement  with  his  four  little  children 
w  round  him — He  offers  his  Indian  Collection  to  the  American  Govern 
ment — And  sends  his  memorial  to  Congress — Bill  reported  in  favour  or 
the  purchase — The  Author  has  an  interview  with  the  King  in  the  Tui- 
leries — Delivers  the  fifteen  pictures — Subjects  of  the  pictures  painted — 
Conversations  with  the  King — Reflections  upon  his  extraordinary  life — 
The  Author's  thoughts,  while  at  his  easel,  upon  scenes  of  his  life  gone  by 
— And  those  that  were  about  him,  as  he  strolled,  with  his  little  children, 
through  the  streets  and  society  of  Paris — Distressing  and  alarming  illness 
of  the  Author's  four  little  children — Kindness  of  sympathizing  friends — 
Death  of  "  little  George  " — His  remains  sent  to  New  York,  and  laid  by 
the  side  of  his  mother — A  father's  tears  and  loneliness — The  Author 
returns  with  his  Collection  to  London  .  311 


APPENDIX— A. 

Extracts  of  Letters  from  the  lovvay  Mission,  Upper  Missouri     .    .    .     327 

APPENDIX— B. 
Experiments  in  Horse-taming 332 


CATLIN'S  NOTES  IN  EUROPE, 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Arrival  of  fourteen  loway  Indians  in  London — Their  lodgings  in  M. 
James's  Street — The  Author  visits  them — Their  portraits  and  names — 
Mr.  Melody,  their  conductor — Jeffrey  Doraway,  their  interpreter — 
Landlady's  alarm — Indians  visit  the  Author's  Collection  in  the  Egyptian 
Hall — Arrangement  to  dance  in  the  Collection — The  Doctor  (Medicine 
or  Mystery  man)  on  top  of  the  Hall — Their  first  drive  in  a  bus — Doctor's 
appearance  outside  —  Indians'  first  impressions  of  London  —  Lascars 
sweeping  the  streets — Man  with  a  big  nose — The  Doctor  lost,  and  found 
on  the  housetop — Their  first  exhibition  in  Egyptian  Hall — Eagle-dance 
—The  Doctor's  speech — Great  amusement  of  the  ladies — His  description 
of  the  railroad  from  Liverpool  to  London — War-dance,  great  applause 
— The  "  jolly  fat  dame  " — She  presents  a  gold  bracelet  to  the  Doctor 
by  mistake — Her  admiration  of  the  Roman-nose — War-whoop — Descrip 
tion  of — Approaching-dance — Wolf-song,  and  description  of — Great 
amusement  of  the  audience — Shaking  hands — Mistake  with  the  bracelet. 

THE  event  which  I  spoke  of  at  the  close  of  my  last 
chapter — the  arrival  of  another  party  of  Indians — was  one 
which  called  upon  me  at  once  for  a  new  enterprise,  and  I 
suddenly  entered  upon  it,  again  deferring  the  time  of  my 
return  to  my  native  land. 

The  "  fourteen  Toway  Indians/'  as  report  had  said,  had 
arrived,  and  were  in  apartments  at  No.  7,  St.  James's 
Street,  with  their  interpreter.  This  party  was  in  charge  of 
Mr.  G.  H.  C.  Melody,  who  had  accompanied  them  from 
their  own  country,  with  a  permission  gained  from  the  Secre 
tary  at  War  to  bring  them  to  Europe,  which  permission 
was  granted  in  the  following  words  :— 

VOL.  II.  B 


2  ARRIVAL  OF  IOWAY  INDIANS  IN  LONDON. 

DEAR  SIR,  War  Department,  Washington  City,  Sept.  14<A,  1843. 

In  answer  to  your  application  relative  to  Mr.  Melody's  making  a 
tour  to  Europe  with  a  party  of  loway  Indians,  as  well  as  to  a  similar  one 
on  his  behalf  from  the  Rev.  Wm.  P.  Cochran,  of  Marian  County,  Missouri, 
I  beg  leave  to  say,  that  it  has  not.  been  usual  to  grant  any  permissions  of  the 
kind,  and  the  verbal  instructions  to  the  Agents,  Superintendents,  &c.  have 
been  against  permitting  such  tours,  for  the  reason,  I  presume,  that  the  per 
sons  having  them  in  charge  are  usually  men  who  merely  wish  to  make  mo 
ney  out  of  them  by  exhibitions,  without  taking  any  care  of  their  habits  or 
morals,  or  inducing  them  to  profit  by  what  they  see  and  hear  upon  their 
route. 

In  the  present  case,  however,  I  do  not  think  that  the  evils  usually  to  be 
apprehended  will  occur,  from  the  character  of  Mr.  Melody,  and  the  mode 
in  which  the  Indians  are  proposed  to  be  selected.  This  I  understand  is  to 
be  done  by  the  Chief,  White  Cloud,  with  the  full  assent  of  the  individuals 
thus  selected,  and  their  continuance  on  the  tour  to  be  their  own  act. 

Under  all  the  circumstances,  I  suppose  all  the  Department  can  do,  is  to 
allow  Mr.  Melody  and  the  Chiefs  of  the  tribe  to  do  as  they  please,  with 
out  imposing  the  usual  or  any  prohibition. 

I  am,  yours,  very  truly, 

J.  M.  PORTER, 

Vespasian  Ellis,  Esq.  Secretary  at  War. 

DEAR  SIR,  Washington  City,  Sept.  1843. 

Under  this  letter  you  are  authorised  to  make  any  arrangement  with 
the  Chief  of  the  tribe  of  Indians  that  you  and  he  may  please  to  make  ; 
and  the  War  Department  agrees,  in  consideration  of  your  well-known  inte 
grity  of  character,  not  to  interfere  w  ith  the  arrangement  which  you  and  the 
Chief  or  the  Indians  may  make. 

Your  obedient  Servant, 
Mr.  Melody.  VESPASIAN  ELLIS. 

Mr.  Melody  called  upon  me  immediately  on  his  arrival 
in  London,  and  I  went  with  him  to  see  his  party,  several  of 
whom  I  at  once  recognized  as  I  entered  their  rooms.  On 
seeing  me  they  all  rose  upon  their  feet  and  offered  me  their 
hands,  saluting  me  by  their  accustomed  word,  (t  How  !  how  ! 
how !  Chip-pe-ho-la  /"  and  evidently  were  prepared  for 
great  pleasure  on  meeting  me.  White  Cloud,  the  head  chief 
of  the  tribe,  was  of  the  party,  and  also  the  war-chief  Neu- 
mon-ya  (the  Walking  Rain).  These  two  chiefs,  whose 
portraits  were  then  hanging  in  my  collection,  had  stood 
before  me  for  their  pictures  several  years  previous  in  their 


AUTHOR  VISITS  THE  IOWAYS.  3 

own  village,  and  also  one  of  the  warriors  now  present,  whose 
name  w  s  Wash-ka-mon-ya  (the  Fast  Dancer).  These  facts 
being  ]  nown,  one  can  easily  imagine  how  anxious  these 
good  fellows  had  been,  during  a  journey  of  2000  miles  from 
their  country  to  New  York,  and  then  during  their  voyage 
across  the  ocean.,  to  meet  me  in  a  foreign  land,  who  had 
several  years  before  shared  the  hospitality  of  their  village, 
and,  to  their  knowledge,  had  done  so  much  to  collect  and 
perpetuate  the  history  of  their  race.  They  had  come  also, 
as  I  soon  learned,  in  the  full  expectation  to  dance  in  my 
collection,  which  they  were  now  impatient  to  see. 

This  first  interview  was  during  the  evening  of  their 
arrival,  and  was  necessarily  brief,  that  they  might  get  their 
night's  rest,  and  be  prepared  to  visit  my  rooms  in  the 
morning.  A  few  pipes  were  smoked  out  as  we  were  all 
seated  on  the  floor,  in  a  "  talk"  upon  the  state  of  affairs  in 
their  country  and  incidents  of  their  long  and  tedious  journey, 
at  the  end  of  which  they  now  required  rest,  and  I  left 
them. 

By  entering  the  city  at  night,  they  had  created  little 
excitement  or  alarm,  except  with  the  landlady  and  her 
servants,  where  they  had  been  taken  in.  Their  rooms 
had  been  engaged  before  their  arrival,  but  the  good  woman 
"had  no  idea  they  were  going  to  look  so  savage  and  wild ; 
she  was  very  much  afraid  that  their  red  paint  would  destroy 
her  beds,"  not  yet  knowing  that  they  were  to  wash  the 
paint  all  off  before  they  retired  to  rest,  and  that  then  they 
were  to  spread  their  buffalo  robes  upon  the  floor  and  sleep 
by  the  side  of,  and  under  her  beds,  instead  of  getting  into 
them.  These  facts,  when  they  became  known,  amused  her 
very  much ;  and  Mr.  Melody's  representations  of  the  harm- 
lessness  and  honesty  of  the  Indians,  put  her  at  rest  with 
respect  to  the  safety  of  her  person  and  her  property  about 
her  house. 

The  objects  of  these  being  the  same  as  those  of  the 
former  party,  of  seeing  the  country  and  making  money 
by  their  exhibitions,  I  entered  into  a  similar  arrangement 

B  2 


4  IOWAYS  VISIT  THE  AUTHOR'S  COLLECTION. 

with  Mr.  Melody,  joining  with  my  collection,  cc  \ducting 
their  exhibitions,  and  sharing  the  expenses  and  r»  ceipts  of 
the  same,  on  condition  that  such  an  arrangement  si  ould  be 
agreeable  to  the  Indians. 

Their  first  night's  rest  in  London  being  finished,  they 
were  all  up  at  an  early  hour,  full  of  curiosity  to  see  what 
was  around  them;  and  their  fourteen  red  heads  out  of  their 
front  windows  soon  raised  a  crowd  and  a  novel  excitement 
in  St.  James's.  Every  body  knew  that  the  "  Indians  had 
gone,"  and  the  conjectures  amongst  the  crowd  were  various 
and  curious  as  to  this  strange  arrival.  Some  said  it  was 
"  the  wedding  party  returned  ;"  others,  more  sagacious,  dis 
covered  the  difference  in  their  appearance,  and  pronounced 
them  "  the  real  cannibals  from  New  Zealand ;"  and  others 
said  "  their  heads  were  too  red,  and  they  could  be  nothing 
else  than  the  real  red-heads — the  man-eaters — that  they 
had  read  of  somewhere,  but  had  forgotten  the  place." 

The  morning  papers,  however,  which  are  the  keys  for  all 
such  mysteries,  soon  solved  the  difficulty,  but  without 
diminishing  the  crowd,  by  the  announcement  that  a  party 
of  fourteen  loway  Indians,  from  the  base  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  had  arrived  during  the  night  and  taken  up 
their  lodgings  in  St.  James's  Street. 

After  taking  their  breakfasts  and  finishing  their  toilets, 
they  stepped  into  carriages  and  paid  their  first  visit  to  my 
collection,  then  open  in  the  Egyptian  Hall.  Instead  of 
yelling  and  shouting  as  the  Ojibbeways  did  on  first  entering 
it,  they  all  walked  silently  and  slowly  to  the  middle  of  the 
room,  with  their  hands  over  their  mouths,  denoting  surprise 
and  silence.  In  this  position,  for  some  minutes  (wrapped  in 
their  pictured  robes,  which  were  mostly  drawn  over  their 
heads  or  up  to  their  eyes),  they  stood  and  rolled  their  eyes 
about  the  room  in  all  directions,  taking  a  general  survey  of 
what  was  around  them,  before  a  word  was  spoken.  There 
was  an  occasional  "  she-e  "  in  a  lengthened  whisper,  and 
nothing  more  for  some  time,  when  at  length  a  gradual  and 
almost  imperceptible  conversation  commenced  about  por- 


A  COUNCIL  HELD.  5 

traits  and  things  which  they  recognized  around  the  room. 
They  had  been  in  a  moment  transferred  into  the  midst  of 
hundreds  of  their  friends  and  their  enemies,  who  were 
gazing  at  them  from  the  walls — amongst  wig-warns  and 
thousands  of  Indian  costumes  and  arms,  and  views  of  the 
prairies  they  live  in — altogether  opening  to  their  view,  and  to 
be  seen  at  a  glance,  what  it  would  take  them  years  to  see  in 
their  own  country.  They  met  the  portraits  of  their  chiefs 
and  other  friends,  upon  the  walls,  and  extended  their  hands 
towards  them  ;  and  they  gathered  in  groups  in  front  of  their 
enemies,  whom  the  warriors  had  met  in  battle,  and  now 
recognized  before  them.  They  looked  with  great  pleasure  on 
a  picture  of  their  own  village,,  and  examined  with  the  closest 
scrutiny  the  arms  and  weapons  of  their  enemies.  One  may 
easily  imagine  how  much  there  was  in  this  collection  to  enter 
tain  these  rude  people,  and  how  much  to  command  their 
attachment  to  me,  with  whom  they  had  already  resolved  to 
unite. 

A  council  was  held  and  the  pipe  lit  under  the  Crow 
wig-warn,  which  was  standing  in  the  middle  of  my  room, 
when  Mr.  Melody  explained  to  the  Indians  that  he  had  now 
got  them  safe  across  the  ocean  as  he  had  promised,  and  into 
the  midst  of  the  greatest  city  in  the  world,  where  they  would 
see  many  curious  things,  and  make  many  good  and  valuable 
friends,  if  they  conducted  themselves  properly,  which  he  was 
confident  they  would  do. 

"  You  have  met,"  said  he,  "  your  old  friend  Chip-pe-ho-la, 
whom  you  have  talked  so  much  about  on  the  way ;  you  are 
now  in  his  wonderful  collection,  and  he  is  by  the  side  of  you, 
and  you  will  hear  what  he  has  to  say."  ("  How  !  how  !  how  /") 

I  reminded  the  White-cloud  of  the  time  that  I  was  in  his 
village,  and  lived  under  his  father's  tent,  where  I  had  been 
kindly  treated,  and  for  which  I  should  always  feel  grateful. 
That  in  meeting  them  here,  I  did  not  meet  them  as  strangers, 
but  as  friends.  ("  How !  how!  how!'')  That  they  had 
come  a  great  way,  and  with  a  view  to  make  something  to 
carry  home  to  their  wives  and  little  children;  that  Mr. 


6  A  COUNCIL  HELD. 

Melody  and  I  had  entered  into  an  arrangement  by  which  I 
was  in  hopes  that  my  efforts  might  aid  in  enabling  them  to 
do  so.  ("  How  !  how  !  how!  ")  That  I  was  willing  to  de 
vote  all  my  time,  and  do  all  that  was  in  my  power,  but  the 
continuation  of  my  exertions  would  depend  entirely  upon 
their  own  conduct,  and  their  efforts  to  gain  respect,  by 
aiding  in  every  way  they  could,  and  keeping  themselves 
entirely  sober,  and  free  from  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors. 
("  How  !  how  !  how  !  ") 

Mr.  Melody  here  remarked  that  they  had  pledged  their 
words  to  him  and  their  Great  Father  (as  the  condition  on 
which  they  were  allowed  to  come),  that  they  would  drink 
no  ardent  spirits  while  absent,  and  that  he  was  glad  to  say 
they  had  thus  far  kept  their  promise  strictly.  (" How!  how! 
how!") 

I  told  them  I  was  glad  to  hear  this,  and  I  had  no  doubt 
but  they  would  keep  their  word  with  me  on  that  point,  for 
every  thing  depended  on  it.  We  were  amongst  a  people 
who  look  upon  drunkenness  as  low  and  beastly,  and  also  as 
a  crime  ;  and  as  I  had  found  that  most  white  people  were 
of  opinion  that  all  Indians  were  drunkards,  if  they  would 
show  by  their  conduct  that  such  was  not  the  case,  they 
would  gain  many  warm  and  kind  friends  wherever  they 
went.  ("How!  how!  how!")  I  told  them  that  the  Ojib- 
beways  whom  I  had  had  with  me,  and  who  had  recently 
gone  home,  gave  me  a  solemn  promise  when  they  arrived 
that  they  would  keep  entirely  sober  and  use  no  spirituous 
liquors, — that  they  kept  that  promise  awhile,  but  I  had 
been  grieved  to  hear  that  before  they  left  the  country 
they  had  taken  up  the  wicked  habit  of  drinking  whiskey, 
and  getting  drunk,  by  which  they  had  lost  all  the  respect 
that  white  people  had  for  them  when  they  first  came  over. 
(A  great  laugh,  and  "  How  !  how  !  how  !  ") 

Neu-mon-ya  (the  war-chief)  replied  to  me,  that  they  were 
thankful  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  kept  them  safe  across 
the  ocean  and  allowed  them  to  see  me,  and  to  smoke  the 
pipe  again  with  me,  and  to  hear  my  wise  counsel,  which 


THE  INTERPRETER.  7 

they  had  all  determined  to  keep  ("How!  how!  how!"). 
He  said  that  they  had  been  very  foolish  to  learn  to  drink 
" fire-water  "  in  their  country,  which  was  very  destructive  to 
them,  and  they  had  promised  their  Great  Father,  the 
President,  that  they  would  drink  none  of  it  whilst  they  were 
abroad.  He  said  he  hoped  I  would  not  judge  them  by  the 
Ojibbeways  who  had  been  here,  "for/' said  he,  "they  are 
all  a  set  of  drunkards  and  thieves,  and  always  keep  their 
promises  just  about  as  well  as  they  kept  them  with  you." 
(A  laugh,  and  "How!  howl  Iiow!")* 

This  talk,  which  was  short,  was  ended  here,  to  the  satis 
faction  of  all  parties,  and  the  Indians  were  again  amusing 
themselves  around  the  room,  leaving  the  wig-warn  and 
further  conversations  to  Mr.  Melody,  the  interpreter,  and 
myself.  Mr.  Melody,  though  a  stranger  to  me,  bearing  the 
high  recommendations  contained  in  the  letter  of  the  Secre 
tary  at  War,  already  published,  at  once  had  my  confidence 
(which  I  am  pleased  to  say  his  conduct  has  kept  up)  as  an 
excellent  and  honest  man. 

Their  interpreter,  Jeffrey  Doraway  (a  mulatto),  and 
who  had  been  one  of  the  first  to  recognize  and  hail  me 
when  I  entered  their  rooms,  had  been  an  old  and  attached 
acquaintance  of  mine  while  travelling  in  that  country,  and 
that  acquaintance  had  several  times  been  renewed  in  St. 
Louis,  and  New  York,  and  other  places  where  I  had  subse 
quently  met  him.  He  had  been  raised  from  childhood  in 
the  tribe,  and  the  chiefs  and  all  the  party  were  very  much 
attached  to  him,  and  his  interest  seemed  to  be  wholly  identi 
fied  with  that  of  the  tribe.  He  was  of  a  most  forbearing 
and  patient  disposition,  and  of  temperate  habits,  and  as  he 
was  loved  by  the  chiefs,  had  great  influence  with  them,  and 
control  over  the  party. 

I  related  to  Mr.  Melody  and  Jeffrey  the  difficulties  that 
laid  before  us;  the  prejudices  raisad  in  the  public  mind  by 

*  Some  allowance  will  be  made  for  the  freedom  with  which  the  loways 
occasionally  speak  of  their  predecessors,  the  Ojibbeways,  as  these  two  tribes 
have  lived  in  a  state  of  constant  warfare  from  time  immemorial. 


8       THE  DOCTOR  ON  THE  ROOF  OF  THE  HALL. 

the  conduct  of  Mr.  Rankin  with  his  party  of  Ojibbeways, 
and  the  unfortunate  season  of  the  year  at  which  they  had 
arrived  in  London.  That  the  middle  of  July  was  the  very 
Avorst  season  in  which  to  open  an  exhibition,  and  that  it 
might  be  difficult  to  raise  a  second  excitement  sufficiently 
strong  to  pay  the  very  heavy  expenses  we  must  incur ;  but 
that  I  had  resolved  to  unite  my  whole  efforts  to  theirs,  to 
bring  their  party  into  notice  ;  which  formed  so  much  more 
complete  and  just  a  representation  of  the  modes  and  ap 
pearance  of  the  wild  Indians  of  America  than  the  Ojibbe- 
ways  had  given. 

Finishing  our  conversation  here,  we  found  the  Indians 
adjusting  their  plumes,  and  their  robes,  and  their  weapons, 
preparing  to  step  into  their  "  omnibus  and  four,"  to  take 
their  first  rapid  glance  at  the  great  City  of  London,  in  "  a 
drive,"  which  was  to  pass  them  through  some  of  its  principal 
thoroughfares  for  their  amusement.  At  this  moment  of  ex 
citement  it  was  suddenly  announced  that  one  of  the  party 
(and  a  very  essential  one),  the  "  Doctor"  (or  medicine  man),  was 
missing  !  Search  was  everywhere  making  for  him,  and  when 
it  was  quite  certain  that  he  could  not  have  passed  into  the 
street,  Jeffrey  inquired  of  the  curator  of  the  Hall  if  there 
was  any  passage  that  led  out  upon  the  roof?  to  which  the 
curator  replied,  "  Yes."  "  Well  then/'  said  Jeffrey,  "  we  may 
be  sure  that  he  is  there,  for  it  is  '  a  way  that  he  has :'  he 
always  is  uneasy  until  he  gets  as  high  as  he  can  go,  and  then 
he  will  stay  there  all  night  if  you  will  let  him  alone."  I 
wrent  immediately  to  the  roof,  and  found  him  standing  on 
one  corner  of  the  parapet,  overlooking  Piccadilly, — wrapped 
in  his  buffalo  robe,  and  still  as  a  statue,  while  thousands 
were  assembling  in  the  streets  to  look  at  him,  and  to  warn 
him  of  the  danger  they  supposed  him  in. 

The  readers  who  have  not  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  this 
eccentric  character,  will  scarcely  be  able  to  appreciate  the 
oddity  of  this  freak  until  they  become  better  acquainted  with 
the  Doctor  in  the  following  pages.  I  invited  him  down  from 
his  elevated  position,  which  he  seemed  reluctant  to  leave,  and 


IOWAYS'  FIRST  IMPRESSIONS  OF  LONDON.  9 

lie  joined  his  party,  who  passed  into  their  carriage  at  the  door. 
In  this  moment  of  confusion,  of  escaping  from  the  crowd  and 
closing  the  door,  heads  were  counted,  and  the  old  Doctor 
was  missing  again.  A  moment's  observation  showed,  how 
ever,  that  his  ascending  propensity  had  gained  him  a  position 
over  their  heads,  as  he  had  seated  himself  by  the  side  of 
the  driver,  with  his  buffalo  robe  wrapped  around  him, 
the  long  and  glistening  blade  of  his  spear  passing  out  from 
underneath  it,  near  to  his  left  ear,  and  his  vermilioned  face 
surmounted  by  a  huge  pair  of  buffalo  horns,  rising  out  of 
a  crest  of  eagle's  quills  and  ermine  skins.  Thus  loaded, 
and  at  the  crack  of  the  whip,  and  amidst  the  yelling  mul 
titude  that  had  gathered  around  them,  did  the  fourteen 
loways  dash  into  the  streets,  to  open  their  eyes  to  the  sights 
and  scenes  of  the  great  metropolis. 

An  hour  or  so  in  the  streets,  in  a  pleasant  day,  enabled 
them  to  see  a  great  deal  that  was  unlike  the  green  prairies 
where  they  lived;  and  the  "old  Doctor,"  wrapped  in  his 
robe,  and  ogling  the  pretty  girls,  and  everything  else  that 
he  saw  that  was  amusing  as  he  passed  along,  raised  a  new 
excitement  in  the  streets,  and  gave  an  extensive  notifi 
cation  that  "the  wedding  party  had  actually  got  back," 
or  that  another  party  of  red  skins  had  arrived.  They  re 
turned  to  their  lodgings  in  great  glee,  and  amused  us  at 
least  for  an  hour  with  their  "  first  impressions  "  of  London ; 
the  leading,  striking  feature  of  which,  and  the  one  that 
seemed  to  afford  them  the  greatest  satisfaction,  was  the 
quantity  of  fresh  meat  that  they  saw  in  every  street  hanging 
up  at  the  doors  and  windows — pigs,  and  calves,  and  sheep, 
and  deer,  and  prairie  hens,  in  such  profusion  that  they  thought 
"  there  would  be  little  doubt  of  their  getting  as  much  fresh 
meat  as  they  could  eat."  Besides  this,  they  had  seen  many 
things  that  amused  them,  and  others  that  excited  their  pity. 
They  laughed  much  about  the  "  black  fellows  with  white  eyes  " 
who  were  carrying  bags  of  coal,  and  "  every  one  of  them 
had  got  their  hats  on  the  wrong  side  before."  They  had 
seen  many  people  who  seemed  to  be  very  poor,  and  looked 


10  LASCARS  SWEEPING  THE  STREETS. 

as  if  they  were  hungry :  for  they  held  out  their  hands  to 
people  passing  by,  as  if  they  were  asking  for  something  to 
eat.  "  They  had  passed  two  Indians,  with  brooms  in  their 
hands,  sweeping  the  dirt  in  the  streets !" 

This  occurrence  had  excited  their  greatest  anxieties  to 
know  "  what  Indians  they  could  be,  that  would  be  willing  to 
take  a  broom  in  their  hands  and  sweep  the  dirt  from  under 
white  men's  feet,  and  then  hold  out  their  hands  to  white 
people  for  money  to  buy  food  to  eat."    They  all  agreed  "  that 
loways  would  not  do  it,  that  Sioux  would  not,  that  Pawnees 
would  not ;"  and  when  they  were  just  deciding  that  their 
enemies,  the  Ojibbeways,  might  be  slaves  enough  to  do  it,  and 
that  these  were  possibly  a  part  of  the  Ojibbeway  party  that 
had  been  flourishing  in  London,  I  explained  the  mystery 
to    them,    by  informing   them   that    their  conjectures  were 
wrong — that  it  was   true   they  were  Indians,  but  not  from 
North  America.     I  agreed  with  them  that  no  North  Ame 
rican  Indian  would  use  that  mode   of  getting  his  living, 
but  that  there  were  Indians  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
and  that  these  were  from  the  East  Indies,  a  country  many 
thousands   of  miles   from   here  ;    that    these    people   were 
Indians    from    that   country,    and   were    of    a    tribe    called 
Lascars;  that  many  of  them  were  employed  by  the  cap 
tains  of  English  ships  to  help  to  navigate  their  vessels  from 
that  country  to  this ;  and  that  in  London  they  often  come 
to  want,  and  are  glad  to  sweep  the  streets  and  beg,  as  the 
means  of  living,  instead  of  starving  to  death.     It  seemed 
still  a  mystery  to  them,  but  partly  solved,   and  they  made 
many  further  remarks  among  themselves  about  them.     The 
good  landlady  at  this  moment  announced  to  Mr.   Melody 
and  Jeffrey  that  the  dinner  for  the  Indians  was  ready,  and 
in   a   moment  all  were    seated   save   the   Doctor;  he    was 
missing.     "That  old   fool,"  said  Jeffrey,  "  there's  no  doubt 
but  he  has  found  his  way  to  the  top  of  the  house."     J  was 
conducted  by  one  of  the  servants  through  several  unoccu 
pied  rooms  and  dark  passages,  and  at  last  through  a  narrow 
and  almost  impassable  labyrinth  that  brought  me  out  upon 


IOWAYS'  FIKST  PUBLIC  EXHIBITION.  11 

the  roof.  The  "Doctor"  was  there;  and,  wrapped  in  his 
.buffalo  robe,  with  his  red  face  and  his  buffalo  horns, 
was  standing  like  a  Zealand  penguin,  and  smiling  upon  the 
crowds  of  gazers  who  were  gathering  in  the  streets,  and 
at  the  windows,  and  upon  the  house-tops,  in  the  vicinity. 

For  the  several  days  succeeding  this,  while  the  Indians 
were  lying  still,  and  resting  from  their  long  and  tedious 
voyage,  and  I  was  announcing  in  the  usual  way  their 
arrival,  and  the  time  of  the  commencement  of  their  exhi 
bitions,  I  held  many  curious  and  amusing  conversations 
with  them  about  things  they  had  already  seen,  and  scenes 
and  events  that  were  yet  in  anticipation  and  before  them. 
These  are  subjects,  however,  that  must  be  passed  over 
for  events  that  were  before  us,  and  fuller  of  interest  and 
excitement. 

They  had  much  amusement  at  this  time  also,  about  a 
man  they  said  they  had  seen,  with  a  remarkably  big  nose, 
which  they  said  looked  like  a  large  potato  (or  wapsapinnakari), 
and  one  of  the  women  sitting  near  the  door  of  the  omnibus 
declared  "  that  it  wras  actually  a  wapsapinnakan,  for  she 
could  distinctly  see  the  little  holes  where  the  sprouts 
grow  out."  The  bus,  they  said,  had  passed  on  rather  too 
quick  for  all  to  have  a  fair  look,  but  they  believed  they 
would  at  some  future  time  meet  him  again,  and  take  a 
good  look  at  him. 

The  evening  for  their  first  appearance  before  the  public 
having  arrived,,  the  loways  were  prepared  in  all  their  rouge 
and  fine  dresses,  and  made  their  debut  before  a  fashionable, 
but  not  a  crowded  audience.  Their  very  appearance,  as 
they  entered  the  room.,  was  so  wild  and  classic,  that  it 
called  forth  applause  from  every  part  of  the  hall.  The 
audience  was  composed  chiefly  of  my  friends,  and  others 
who  had  been  familiar  with  the  other  group,  and  who  were 
able  to  decide  as  to  the  comparative  interest  of  the  two 
parties;  and  it  was  proclaimed  in  every  part  of  the  room, 
that  they  were  altogether  more  primitive  in  their  appear 
ance  and  modes,  and  decidedly  a  finer  body  of  men.  I  had 


12  AUTHOR  INTRODUCES  IOWAYS. 

accompanied  them  on  to  the  platform,  and  when  they  had 
got  seated,  and  were  lighting  their  pipe,  I  introduced  them 
by  stating,  that  in  the  exhibition  of  this  party  of  Indians, 
I  felt  satisfied  that  I  was  bringing  before  the  eyes  of  the 
audience  the  most  just  and  complete  illustration  of  the 
native  looks  and  modes  of  the  red  men  of  the  American 
wilderness,  that  had  ever  been  seen  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic;  and  that  I  should  take  great  pleasure  in  intro 
ducing  them  and  their  modes,  as  they  so  satisfactorily 
illustrated  and  proved  what  I  had  been  for  several  years 
labouring  to  show  to  English  people,  by  my  numerous 
paintings  and  Indian  manufactures  which  I  had  collected, 
as  well  as  by  my  notes  of  travel  amongst  these  people,  which 
I  had  recently  published : 

That  the  loway  was  one  of  the  remote  tribes,  yet  adher 
ing  to  all  their  native  customs  and  native  looks ;  and  that 
this  party,  composed,,  as  it  was,  of  the  two  principal  men  of 
the  tribe,  and  several  of  its  most  distinguished  warriors,  not 
only  conveyed  to  the  eyes  of  people  in  this  country  the 
most  accurate  account  of  primitive  modes,  but  was  calcu 
lated  to  excite  the  deepest  interest,  and  to  claim  the  respect  of 
the  community.  That  the  position  of  this  tribe  being  upon 
the  great  plains  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  1000  miles  farther  west  than  the  country  from 
which  the  Ojibbeways  came,  their  modes  and  personal 
appearance  were  very  different,  having  as  yet  received  no 
changes  from  the  proximity  of  civilization  : 

That  I  had  visited  this  tribe  several  years  before,  during 
my  travels  in  the  Indian  countries,  and  that  I  had  there 
formed  my  first  acquaintance  with  the  two  chiefs  who  were 
now  here,  and  which  acquaintance,  from  the  hospitable 
manner  in  which  they  had  welcomed  me  in  their  humble 
wig-warns,  I  now  felt  great  pleasure  in  renewing :  ("  Hear, 
hear"  and  applause?) 

That  these  facts  being  known,  with  others  which  would 
be  incidentally  given,  I  felt  fully  assured  that  they  would 
meet  with  a  kind  reception  in  this  country,  and  that  the 


NAMES  AND  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PARTY.  13 

audience  were  prepared  for  the  introduction  I  was  now  to 
make  of  them  and  their  modes.*     (Great  applause.} 

I  then  pointed  out  and  explained  to  the  audience,  the 
characteristic  differences  between  the  appearance  and  modes 
of  this  party  and  the  Ojibbeways,  whom  they  had  seen,  and 
which  will  be  obvious  to  the  reader  in  the  annexed  illustra 
tion  (Plate  No.  9).  The  loways,  like  three  other  tribes 
only,  in  North  America,  all  adhere  to  their  national  mode 
of  shaving  and  ornamenting  their  heads.  This  is  a  very 
curious  mode,  and  presents  an  appearance  at  once  that  dis 
tinguishes  them  from  the  Ojibbeways  and  other  tribes,  who 
cultivate  the  hair  to  the  greatest  length  they  possibly  can, 
and  pride  themselves  on  its  jet  and  glossy  black.  Every 
man  in  the  loway  tribe  adheres  to  the  mode  of  cutting  all 
the  hair  as  close  as  he  can,  excepting  a  small  tuft  which  is 
left  upon  the  crown,  and  being  that  part  which  the  enemy 
takes  for  the  scalp,  is  very  properly  denominated  the  "  scalp- 
lock"  He  then  rouges  with  vermilion  the  whole  crown  of 
his  head  (and  oftentimes  his  whole  face),  and  surmounts 
his  scalp-lock  by  a  beautiful  crest,  made  of  the  hair  of  the 
deer's  tail,  dyed  of  vermilion  red. 

The  chief  man  of  this  party,  the   "  White  Cloud"  the  son 
of  a  distinguished  chief  of  the  same  name,,  who  died  a  few 

*  Names  of  the  Indians. 

1.  Mew-hew-she-kaw  (the  white  cloud),  first  chief  of  the  nation. 

2.  Neu-mon-ya  (the  walking  rain),  war-chief. 

3.  Se-non-ti-yah  (the  blistered  feet),  the  medicine  man  (or  Doctor). 

4.  Wash-ka-mon-ya  (the  fast  dancer). 

5.  Shon-ta-yi-ga  (the  little  wolf). 

6.  No-ho-mun-ya  (one  who  gives  no  attention),  or  Roman  Nose. 

7.  Wa-ton-ye  (the  foremost  man). 

8.  Wa-ta-we-buck-a-na  (commanding  general). 

Women. 

9.  Ru-ton-ye- wee-ma  (strutting  pigeon),  wife  of  White  Cloud. 

10.  Ru-ton-wee-me  (pigeon  on  the  wing). 

11.  O-kee-wee-me  (female  bear  that  walks  on  the  back  of  another). 

12.  Koon-za-ya-me  (female  war-eagle  sailing), 

13.  Ta-pa-ta-me  (wisdom),  girl. 

14.  Corsair  (pap-poose). 


14  NAMES  AND  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PARTY. 

years  since,  was  35  years  of  age,  and  hereditary  chief  of  the 
tribe.  By  several  humane  and  noble  acts,  after  he  received 
his  office  of  chief,  he  gained  the  admiration  and  friendship 
of  the  officers  of  the  United  States  Government,  as  well  as 
of  his  tribe,  and  had  therefore  been  countenanced  by  the 
Government  (as  has  been  shown)  in  the  enterprise  of  going 
abroad. 

Neu-mon-ya  (the  Walking  Rain),  and  war-chief  of  the 
tribe,  was  54  years  of  age,  and  nearly  six  feet  and  a  half  in 
height.  A  noble  specimen  of  the  manly  grace  and  dignity 
that  belong  to  the  American  wilderness,  and  also  a  man 
who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  wars  that  he  had  led 
against  his  enemies. 

Se-non-ti-yah  (the  Blistered  Feet),  the  Medicine  or 
Mystery  Man,  was  a  highly  important  personage  of  the 
party,  and  held  a  high  and  enviable  position,  as  physician, 
soothsayer,  and  magician,  in  his  tribe. 

These  personages  are  found  in  every  tribe,  and  so  much 
control  have  they  over  the  superstitious  minds  of  their 
people,  that  their  influence  and  power  in  the  tribe  often 
transcend  those  of  the  chief.  In  all  councils  of  war  and 
peace  they  have  a  seat  by  the  chiefs,  and  are  as  regularly 
consulted  by  the  chiefs,  as  soothsayers  were  consulted  in 
ancient  days,  and  equal  deference  and  respect  is  paid  to 
their  advice  or  opinions,  rendering  them  oracles  of  the  tribe 
in  which  they  live. 

A  good  illustration  of  this  was  given  by  this  magician, 
while  on  their  voyage  to  this  country,  a  few  weeks  since, 
when  near  the  land,  off  the  English  coast.  The  packet  ship 
in  which  the  Indians  were  passengers,  was  becalmed  for 
several  days,  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  Indians  and 
numerous  other  passengers,  when  it  was  decided,  by  the 
Indian  chief,  that  they  must  call  upon  the  Medicine  Man,  to 
try  the  efficacy  of  his  magical  powers  in  the  endeavour  to 
raise  a  wind.  For  this  purpose  he  very  gradually  went  to 
work,  with  all  due  ceremony,  according  to  the  modes  of  the 
country,  and  after  the  usual  ceremony  of  a  mystery  feast, 


HUMANITY  OF  THE  TOWAYS.  15 

and  various  invocations  to  the  spirit  of  the  wind  and  the 
ocean,  both  were  conciliated  by  the  sacrifice  of  many  plugs 
of  tobacco  thrown  into  the  sea  ;  and  in  a  little  time  the  wind 
began  to  blow,  the  sails  were  filled,  and  the  vessel  soon 
wafted  into  port,  to  the  amusement  of  the  passengers,  and 
much  to  the  gratification  of  the  Indians,  who  all  believed, 
and  ever  will,  that  the  vessel  was  set  in  motion  by  the 
potency  of  the  Doctor's  mysterious  and  supernatural  powers. 
Of  the  Warriors,  Slion-ta-yi-ga  (the  Little  Wolf)  and 
No-lio-miin-ya  (called  the  "  Roman  Nose ")  were  the  most 
distinguished,  and  I  believe  the  world  will  agree  with  me, 
that  it  would  be  an  act  of  injustice  on  my  part,  should  I 
allow  the  poor  fellows  to  carry  through  this  country,  with- 
out  giving  them  publication,  the  subjoined  documents,*  by 


*  KNOW  ALL  MEN  BY  THESE  PRESENTS,  That  Shon-ta-yi-ga  or  the  Little 
Wolf,  an  loway  brave,  is  well  entitled  to  be  called  a  brave,  from  the  fact  of 
his  having  been  engaged  in  many  expeditions  against  the  enemies  of  his 
tribe :  in  all  such  excursions  he  has,  I  am  informed,  universally  behaved 
bravely.  But  especially  is  he  entitled  to  the  love  and  confidence  of  all  men, 
whether  white  or  red,  on  account  of  his  humanity  and  daring  conduct  in  ar 
resting  from  the  cruel  nation  of  which  he  is  a  member,  a  party  of  Omahaws. 
On  last  Sabbath  day  he  saved  from  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife  ten 
unoffending  Omahaws  :  one  of  the  party  was  decoyed  out  of  sight  and  mur 
dered  ;  the  other  ten  consisting  of  the  well-known  and  much- loved  chiefs 
Big  Elk,  Big  Eyes,  and  Washkamonia,  one  squaw  and  six  young  men.  This 
party  was  on  a  visit  of  friendship,  by  special  invitation  from  the  loways. 
When  they  arrived  within  ten  miles  of  this  post,  they  were  seen  and  con 
versed  with  by  the  son  in  law  of  Neu-mon-ya,  a  chief  of  the  loways,  who 
undertook  to  bring  the  tobacco  and  sticks  to  the  loway  chiefs,  as  is  a  custom 
of  Indians  when  on  a  begging  expedition.  This  young  man  proved  trea 
cherous,  and  failed  to  deliver  his  message  to  his  chiefs,  and  gave  informa 
tion  of  the  approach  of  the  Omahaws  to  a  man  who  was  preparing  to  go  on 
a  war  party.  He  and  two- thirds  of  the  nation  started  out  to  murder  their 
visitors,  and  were  only  prevented  by  the  timely  assistance  and  interference 
of  the  Little  Wolf,  or  Shon-ta-yi-ga,  and  one  other  loway,  whose  name  is 
the  Roman  Nose. 

This  man  (the  Little  Wolf)  interfered,  as  he  says,  and  doubtless  he  tells 
the  truth,  because  he  considered  it  treacherous  and  cowardly  to  strike  a 
brother,  after  having  invited  them  to  visit  their  nation.  Such  treachery  is 
rare  indeed  among  the  wildest  North-American  Indians,  and  never  oc 
curred  with  the  loways  before.  I  met  him  and  Jeffrey,  the  loway  inter- 


16  HUMANITY  OF  THE  IOWAYS. 

which  it  will  be  seen  that  they  saved,  in  a  humane  manner, 
and  worthy  of  warriors  of  better  caste,  the  lives  of  ten 
unarmed  and  unoffending  enemies. 

preter,  together  with  two  other  loways,  guarding  the  Big  Elk  and  his  party 
on  to  my  agency,  in  a  short  time  after  this  occurrence  took  place. 

I  cannot  close  this  communication  without  expressing  my  sincere  thanks 
to  the  Little  Wolf  and  his  comrade  for  their  good  conduct ;  and  I  most 
respectfully  beg  leave  to  recommend  them  to  the  kind  attention  of  their 
great  father,  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  all  gentlemen  to 
whom  this  paper  may  be  shown. 

W.  P.  RICHARDSON. 

Great  Nemahaw  Sub- Agency,  Oct.  23,  1843. 


SIR,  Office  of  Indian  Affairs,  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  April  10,  1844. 

Permit  me  to  introduce  to  you  the  bearer,  No-ho-mun-ya  (Roman 
Nose),  an  loway  brave.  Roman  Nose,  in  company  with  Shon-ta-yi-ga,  or 
Little  Wolf,  in  October  last  defended  and  rescued  from  impending  death  by 
a  party  of  his  own  nation,  ten  Omahaw  Indians,  consisting  of  four  respected 
chiefs,  braves,  and  squaws,  under  circumstances  highly  flattering  to  their 
bravery  and  humanity. 

I  would  recommend  that  a  medal  be  presented  to  No-ho-mun-ya  (Ro 
man  Nose)  as  a  testimonial  of  his  meritorious  conduct  on  the  occasion  re 
ferred  to.  Medals  from  the  Government  are  highly  esteemed  by  the  Indians  ; 
and  if  bravery  and  humanity  are  merits  in  the  Indian,  then  I  think  Roman 
Nose  richly  merits  one.  His  character  in  every  respect  is  good. 

A  notice  by  the  Government  of  meritorious  acts  by  the  Indians  has  a 
happy  tendency  in  making  a  favourable  impression  in  reference  to  the  act 
that  may  be  the  cause  of  the  notice. 

I  have  presented  Little  Wolf  with  a  medal  that  was  in  the  office.     On 
receiving  it,  he  very  delicately  replied,  that  "  he  deserved  no  credit  for 
what  he  had  done — that  he  had  only  done  his  duty,  but  was  gratified  that 
his  conduct  had  merited  the  approbation  of  his  nation  and  his  father." 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  very  respectfully,  Sir, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  H.  HARVEY,  Sup.  Ind.  Aft: 
To  his  Excellency  John  Tyler,  President  of  the 
United  States,  Washington  City. 


I  concur  with  Mr.  Harvey  in  thinking  this  Indian  Chief  entitled  for 
his  bravery  and  humanity  to  a  medal. 

June  8,  1844.          J.  TYLER,  Presid.  U.  States,  Washington  City. 


Medal  delivered  accordingly  to  Mr.  Geo.  H.  C.  Melody,  for  the  Chief. 
June  8,  1844.  J.  HARTLEY  CRAWFORD. 


EAGLE-DANCE.  17 

Okee-wee-me  (the  wife  of  the  Little  Wolf)  is  the  mother 
of  the  infant  pappoose,  called  Corsair.  This  child  is 
little  more  than  three  months  old,  and  slurig  in  the  cradle 
on  the  mother's  back,  according  to  the  general  custom 
practised  by  all  the  American  tribes,  and  furnishes  one  of 
the  most  interesting  illustrations  in  the  group. 

All  tribes  in  America  practise  the  same  mode  of  carrying 
their  infant  children  for  several  months  from  their  birth  upon 
a  flat  board  resting  upon  the  mother's  back,  as  she  walks  or 
rides,  suspended  by  a  broad  strap  passing  over  her  forehead,  or 
across  her  breast.  By  this  mode  of  carrying  their  children, 
the  mothers,  who  have  to  perform  all  the  slavish  duties  of 
the  camp,  having  the  free  use  of  their  hands  and  arms,  are 
enabled  to  work  most  of  the  time,  and,  in  fact,  exercise  and 
labour  nearly  as  well  as  if  their  children  were  not  attached 
to  their  persons.  These  cradles  are  often,  as  in  the  present 
instance,  most  elaborately  embroidered  with  porcupine 
quills,  and  loaded  with  little  trinkets  hanging  within  the 
child's  reach,  that  it  may  amuse  itself  with  them  as  it  rides, 
with  its  face  looking  from  that  of  its  mother,  while  she  is  at 
work,  so  as  not  to  draw  upon  her  valuable  time. 

This  rigid,  and  seemingly  cruel  mode  of  binding  the 
child  with  its  back  to  a  straight  board,  seems  to  be  one 
peculiarly  adapted  to  Indian  life,  and,  I  believe,  promotes 
straight  limbs,  sound  lungs,  and  long  life. 

I  having  thus  introduced  the  party  to  their  first  audience 
in  England,  and  left  other  remarks  upon  them  for  their 
proper  place,  the  Indians  laid  by  their  pipe,  and  commenced 
their  evening's  amusements  by  giving  first  their  favourite, 
the  Eagle- Dance.  The  Drum  (and  their  " Eagle- Whistles" 
with  which  they  imitate  the  chattering  of  the  soaring  eagle), 
with  their  voices,  formed  the  music  for  this  truly  pic 
turesque  and  exciting  dance.  At  their  first  pause  in  the 
dance,  the  audience,  who  had  witnessed  nothing  of  this  de 
scription  in  the  amusements  of  the  Ojibbeways,  being  ex 
cited  to  the  highest  degree,  encouraged  the  strangers  with 
rounds  of  applause.  The  song  in  this  dance  is  addressed  to 

VOL.  II.  C 


18  THE  DOCTOR'S  SPEECH. 

their  favourite  bird  the  war-eagle,  and  each  dancer  carries 
a  fan  made  of  the  eagle's  tail,  in  his  left  hand,  as  he  dances, 
and  by  his  attitudes  endeavours  to  imitate  the  motions  of 
the  soaring  eagle.  This,  being  a  part  of  the  war-dance,  is  a 
boasting  dance ;  and  at  the  end  of  each  strain  in  the  song 
some  one  of  the  warriors  steps  forth  and,  in  an  excited 
speech,  describes  the  time  and  the  manner  in  which  he  has 
slain  his  enemy  in  battle,  or  captured  his  horses,  or  performed 
some  other  achievement  in  war.  After  this  the  dance  pro 
ceeds  with  increased  spirit ;  and  several  in  succession  having 
thus  excited  their  fellow-dancers,  an  indescribable  thrill  and 
effect  are  often  produced  before  they  get  through. 

In  the  midst  of  the  noise  and  excitement  of  this 
dance  the  Doctor  (or  mystery-man)  jumped  forward  to  the 
edge  of  the  platform,  and  making  the  most  tremendous 
flourish  of  his  spear  which  he  held  in  his  right  hand,  and 
his  shield  extended  upon  his  left  arm,  recited  the  military 
deeds  of  his  life — how  he  had  slain  his  enemies  in  battle  and 
taken  their  scalps;  and  with  singular  effect  fitting  the 
action  to  the  word,  acting  them  out  as  he  described. 

The  thrilling  effect  produced  by  the  Doctor's  boast  brought 
him  showers  of  applause,  which  touched  his  vanity,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  dance  he  imagined  all  eyes  in  admiration 
fixed  upon  him,  and  no  doubt  felt  himself  called  upon  for 
the  following  brief  but  significant  speech  which  he  delivered, 
waving  his  right  hand  over  the  heads  of  the  audience  from 
the  front  of  the  platform  where  he  stood,  and  from  which  he 
dropped  his  most  humble  and  obsequious  smiles  upon  the 
groups  of  ladies  who  were  near  him,  and  applauding  at  the 
end  of  every  sentence  : — 

"My  Friends,— It  makes  me  very  happy  to  see  so  many  smiling  faces 
about  me,  for  when  people  smile  and  laugh,  I  know  they  are  not  angry — 

Jeffrey,  the  Interpreter,  now  made  his  debut ;  the  Doctor 
had  beckoned  hLn  up  by  his  side  to  interpret  his  speech  to 
the  audience,  and  when  he  explained  the  above  sentence, 
the  "Doctor"  received  a  round  of  applause,  and  parti 
cularly  from  the  ladies,  who  could  not  but  be  pleased 


GREAT  AMUSEMENT  OF  THE  LADIES.  19 

with  the  simple  vanity  of  the  speaker  and  the  self-com 
placent  smiles  which  he  always  lavished  upon  the  fair  sex 
who  were  around  him.  The  Doctor,  though  advanced  to 
the  sound  and  efficient  age  of  45,  had  never  taken  to  him  a 
wife ;  and,  like  too  many  of  his  fraternity,  had  always  lived 
upon  the  excessive  vanity  of  believing  that  he  was  the 
lean  ideal  of  his  tribe,  and  admired  too  much  by  all  to  be  a 
legitimate  subject  of  exclusive  appropriation  to  any  par 
ticular  one.  And  more  than  this  (which  may  not  have 
quite  fallen  to  the  happy  lot  of  any  of  his  brother  bachelors 
in  the  polished  world),  from  the  sort  of  charitable  habit  he 
had  of  spreading  his  glowing  smiles  upon  the  crowds  about 
him,  one  would  almost  be  of  opinion  that  in  his  own  com 
munity,  under  the  aids  and  charms  of  his  profession,  he  in  a 
measure  had  existed  upon  the  belief  that  his  smiles  were 
food  and  clothing  for  the  crowds  upon  whom  they  were 
bestowed. 

The  Doctor  yet  stood,  the  concentration  of  smiles  and 
anxious  looks  from  every  part  of  the  room,  and  at  length 
proceeded  (Plate  No.  10): — 

"  My  Friends, — I  see  the  ladies  are  pleased,  and  this  pleases  me — be 
cause  I  know,  that  if  they  are  pleased,  they  will  please  the  men." 

It  was  quite  impossible  for  the  Doctor  to  proceed  further 
until  he  had  bowed  to  the  burst  of  laughter  and  applause 
from  all  parts  of  the  room,,  and  particularly  from  the  ladies. 
This  several  times  ceased,  but  suddenly  burst  out  again, 
and  too  quick  for  him  to  resume.  He  had  evidently  made 
a  "hit"  with  the  ladies,  and  he  was  braced  strong  in 
courage  to  make  the  best  use  of  it,  although  the  rest  of  his 
comrades,  who  were  seated  and  passing  the  pipe  around, 
were  laughing  at  him  and  endeavouring  to  embarrass  him. 
One  of  the  party,  by  the  name  of  Wash-ka-mon-ya,  and  a  good 
deal  of  the  braggart,  had  the  cruelty  to  say  to  him,  "  You 
old  fool,  you  had  better  sit  down,  the  white  squaws  are  all 
laughing  at  you."  To  which  the  Doctor,  deliberately  turning 
round,  sarcastically  replied,  "You  badger,  go  into  your 
burrow  backwards :  I  have  said  more  in  two  sentences  than 


20  DOCTOR'S  DESCRIPTION  OF  RAILROAD. 

you  ever  said   in  your  life."     He  then  turned   round,  and 
calling  Jeffrey  nearer  to  his  side,  proceeded— 

"  My  Friends," — [here  was  a  burst  of  irresistible  laughter  from  the 
ladies,  which  the  drollness  of  his  expression  and  his  figure  excited  at  the 
moment,  and  in  which,  having  met  it  all  in  good  humour,  he  was  taking  a 
part,  but  continued] — 

"  My  Friends, — I  believe  that  our  dance  was  pleasing  to  you,  and  that 
our  noise  has  not  given  you  offence.  (Applause.) 

11  My  Friends, — We  live  a  great  way  from  here,  and  we  have  come  over 
a  great  salt  lake  to  see  you.  and  to  offer  you  our  hands.  The  Great  Spirit 
has  been  kind  to  us;  we  know  that  our  lives  are  always  in  his  hands,  and 
we  thank  him  for  keeping  us  safe.  (How,  how,  how !  from  the  Indians, 
and  applause,  with  Hear,  hear,  hear  !  ) 

"  My  Friends, — We  have  met  our  friend  Chip-pe-ho-la  here,  and  seen  the 
medicine  things  that  he  has  done,  and  which  are  hanging  all  around  us, 
and  this  makes  us  happy.  WTe  have  found  our  chiefs'  faces  on  the  walls, 
which  the  Great  Spirit  has  allowed  him  to  bring  over  safe,  and  we  are 
thankful  for  this.  (How,  how,  how  /) 

11  My  Friends, — This  is  a  large  village,  and  it  has  many  fine  wig- warns  ;  we 
rode  in  a  large  carriage  the  other  day  and  saw  it  all.  (A  laugh,  arid  Hear  !  ) 
We  had  heard  a  great  deal  about  the  people  on  this  side  of  the  water,  but 
we  did  not  think  they  were  so  rich  ;  we  believe  that  the  Saganoshes  know 
a  great  deal.  (How,  how,  how !  ) 

"My  Friends, — We  have  come  on  your  great  medicine  road,  and  it 
pleased  us  very  much.  Wrhen  we  landed  from  our  ship,  we  came  on  your 
medicine  road,  and  were  told  it  would  be  very  fine  ;  but  when  we  started, 
we  were  all  very  much  alarmed  ;  we  went  in  the  dark  ;  we  all  went  right 
down  into  the  ground,  under  a  high  mountain  ;  we  had  heard  that  a  part  of 
'the  white  people  go  into  the  ground  when  they  die,  and  some  of  them  into 
the  fire  ;  we  saw  some  fire  ;  there  was  a  great  hissing,  and  a  great  deal  of 
smoke  coming  out  of  this  place,*  and  we  could  not  get  out ;  we  were  then 
somewhat  afraid,  rny  friends  and  I  began  to  sing  our  '  death-song ;'  but 
when  we  had  commenced,  our  hearts  were  full  of  joy,  we  came  out  again  in 
the  open  air,  and  the  country  was  very  beautiful  around  us.  (How,  how, 
how!  and  great  applause.) 

"  My  Friends, — After  we  got  out  from  under  the  ground,  we  were  much 
pleased  all  the  way  on  the  medicine  road  until  we  got  to  this  village.  There 
were  many  things  to  please  us,  and  I  think  that  before  the  tree?  were  cut 
down,  it  was  a  very  beautiful  country.  My  friends,  we  think  there  were 
Indians  and  buffalos  in  this  country  then.  (How,  how,  how!) 

"  My  Friends, — WTe  think  we  saw  some  of  the' k' nick  k'neck  f  as  we  came 


*  The  railway  tunnel  at  Liverpool. 

t  The  red  willow,  from  the  inner  bark  of  which  the  Indians  make  their 
substitute  for  tobacco. 


WAR-DANCE.  21 

along  the  medicine  road,  and  some  quasli-e-gon-eh-co*  but  we  came  so  fast 
that  we  were  not  certain  ;  we  should  like  to  know.  My  Friends,  this  is  all 
I  have  to  say."  {How,  how,  how!  and  great  applause.) 

The  Doctor's  speech,  which  would  have  been  terminated 
much  sooner  if  he  had  been  allowed  to  proceed  unmo 
lested.,  had  a  very  pleasing  effect  upon  the  audience,  and 
had  allowed  abundant  time  for  the  rest  of  the  party  to 
prepare  for  the  next  dance. 

I  now  announced  to  the  audience  that  the  Indians  were 
about  to  give  the  Warrior' s-dance,  as  performed  by  their 
tribe.  I  explained  the  meaning  of  it,  the  circumstances 
under  which  it  was  given,  and  the  respects  in  which  it 
differed  from  the  War-dance  as  given  by  the  Ojibbeways. 
After  which  they  were  all  upon  their  feet,  and,  with  weapons 
in  hand,  proceeded  to  give  it  the  most  exciting,  and  even 
alarming  effect. 

They  received  great  applause  at  the  end  of  this  dance, 
and  also  a  number  of  presents,  which  were  handed  and 
thrown  on  to  the  platform.  This  created  much  excitement 
and  good  cheer  among  them,  and  I  was  not  a  little  sur 
prised,  nor  was  I  less  amused  and  gratified,  to  discover  at 
this  moment,  that  the  (so-called)  "jolly fat  dame"  of  Ojib- 
beway  notoriety,  was  along  side  of  the  platform,,  at  her  old 
stand,  and,  in  her  wonted  liberality,  the  first  one  to  start 
the  fashion  of  making  the  poor  fellows  occasional  presents. 
I  regretted,  however,  that  I  should  have  been  the  ignorant 
cause  of  her  bestowing  her  first  present  upon  a  person  for 
whom  she  did  not  intend  it.  The  finest-looking  man  of  the 
party,  and  one  of  the  youngest,  was  No-ho-mun-ya  (the 
Roman-nose},  upon  whom  it  seems  this  good  lady's  admira 
tion  had  been  fixed  during  the  evening,  notwithstanding  the 
smiles  that  had  been  lavished  by  the  Doctor,  and  the  elo 
quence  which  he  had  poured  forth  in  his  boastings  and 
speeches. 

The  elegant  limbs,  Herculean  frame,  and  graceful  and 

*  A  medicinal  herb,  the  roots  of  which  the  Indians  use  as  a  cathartic 
medicine. 


22    GOLD  BRACELET  PRESENTED  TO  THE  DOCTOR. 

terrible  movements  of  this  six  foot  and  a-half  young1 
man,  as  she  had  gazed  upon  him  in  this  last  dance,  had 
softened  her  heart  into  all  its  former  kindness  and  liberality, 
and  she  had  at  this  moment,,  when  I  first  discovered  her, 
unclasped  a  beautiful  bracelet  from  one  of  her  arms,  and 
was  just  reaching  over  the  platform  to  say  to  me  as  she 
did,  "Wonderful  !  wonderful!  Mr.  Catlin ;  I  think  it  one  of 
the  wonders  of  the  world  !  Will  you  hand  this  to  that 
splendid  fellow,  with  my  compliments—  give  him  my  com 
pliments,  will  you — it's  a  bracelet  for  his  arm  (Cadotte 
has  got  the  other,  you  know).  Oh!  but  he  is  a  splendid 
fellow — give  him  my  compliments,  will  you.  I  think  them 
a  much  finer  party  than  the  other — oh,  far  superior  !  I 
never  saw  the  like ;  hand  it  to  him,  will  you,  and  if  he  can't 
put  it  on,  poor  fellow,  I  will  show  him  how." 

All  this  had  been  run  over  so  rapidly  that  I  scarcely 
could  recollect  what  she  said,  for  several  were  speaking  to 
me  at  the  same  time ;  and  at  that  unfortunate  moment  it 
was  that  I  committed  the  error,  for  which  I  was  almost 
ready  to  break  my  own  back  when  I  found  it  out.  I  pre 
sented  it  by  mistake  to  the  Doctor,  who,  I  supposed,  had  of 
course  been  winning  all  the  laurels  of  the  evening,  and  with 
them  the  good  lady's  compliments,  which  it  would  have  been 
quite  awkward  on  her  part  and  mine  also  to  have  unprc- 
sented.  The  Doctor  raised  up  the  bracelet  as  high  as  he 
could  reach,  and  made  the  house  ring  and  almost  tremble 
with  the  war-whoop,  which  he  several  times  repeated.* 
What  could  be  done  ?  She  was  too  gallant,  and  I  did  not 
yet  know  the  mistake.  The  Doctor  happened  to  know  how 
to  put  it  on — it  fitted  to  his  copper-coloured  arm  above  his 
elbow — and  his  true  politeness  led  him  to  bow  and  to  smile 


*  The  frightful  war-whoop  is  sounded  at  the  instant  when  Indians 
are  rushing  into  battle,  as  the  signal  of  attack.  It  is  a  shrill  sounded  note, 
on  a  high  key,  given  out  with  a  gradual  swell,  and  shaken  by  a  rapid 
vibration  of  the  four  fingers  of  the  right  hand  over  the  mouth.  This  note 
is  not  allowed  to  be  given  in  the  Indian  countries  unless  in  battle,  or  in 
the  war  or  other  dances,  where  they  are  privileged  to  give  it. 


APPRO  ACHING-DANCE— WOLF-SONG.  23 

a  thousand  thanks  upon  the  fair  dame  as  he  bent  over  her 
from  the  platform. 

The  Approaching- dance*  was  now  given,  in  which  the 
Doctor  took  the  lead  in  great  glee,  and  of  course  with  great 
effect.  He  tilted  off  with  a  light  and  elastic  step,  as  he  was 
"  following  the  track  of  his  enemy,"  and  when  he  raised  his 
brawny  arm  to  beckon  on  his  warriors  to  the  attack,  he  took 
great  pains  to  display  the  glistening  trinket  which  he  had 
accepted  with  such  heartfelt  satisfaction. 

This  dance  finished,  they  all  sat  down  upon  the  platform 
and  passed  the  pipe  around,  whilst  I  was  further  explaining 
upon  their  appearance  and  modes,  and  the  dance  which 
they  had  just  given.  I  asked  them  what  amusement  they 
proposed  next,  and  they  announced  to  me,  that  as  the 
Doctor  was  taking  all  the  honours  and  all  the  glory  to  him 
self  on  that  night  (and  of  whom  they  all  seemed  extremely 
jealous),  they  had  decided  that  he  should  finish  the  amuse 
ments  of  the  evening  by  singing  the  "  Wolf-song"  He  was 
so  conscious  of  having  engrossed  the  principal  attention  of 
the  house  that  he  at  once  complied  with  their  request, 
though  at  other  times  it  required  a  great  effort  to  get  him 
to  sing  it.  I  had  not  myself  heard  this  song,  which  seemed, 
from  their  preparations,  to  promise  some  amusement,  and 

*  The  Approaching  Dance  is  a  spirited  part  of  the  War  Dance,  in 
which  the  dancers  are  by  their  gestures  exhibiting  the  mode  of  advancing 
upon  an  enemy,  by  hunting  out  and  following  up  the  track,  discovering  the 
enemy,  and  preparing  for  the  attack,  &c.,  and  the  song  for  this  dance  runs 
thus  :— 

O-ta-pa ! 

I  am  creeping  on  your  track, 

Keep  on  your  guard,  O-ta-pa  ! 

Or  I  \vill  hop  on  your  back, 

I  will  hop  on  you,  I  will  hop  on  you. 

Stand  back,  my  friends,  I  see  them  ; 
The  enemies  are  here,  I  see  them  ! 
They  are  in  a  good  place, 
Don't  move,  I  see  them  ! 

&c.  &c.  &c. 


24  WOLF-SONG. 

which  Jeffrey  told  me  belonged  exclusively  to  the  Doctor, 
he  having  composed  it.  The  Doctor  was  ready  to  commence, 
and  wrapping  his  robe  around  him,  having  his  right  arm 
out,  he  shook  a  rattle  (she-she-quoin)  in  his  right  hand,  as 
he  tilted  about  the  platform,  singing  alone ;  at  the  end 
of  a  sentence  he  commenced  to  bark  and  howl  like  a  wolf, 
when  another  jumped  upon  his  feet  and  ran  to  him,  and 
another,  and  another,  and  joined  in  the  chorus,  with  their 
heads  turned  up  like  wolves  when  they  are  howling.  He 
then  sang  another  strain  as  he  moved  about  the  platform 
again,  all  following  him,  singing,  and  ready  to  join  in 
the  deafening  chorus.  This  strange  and  comic  song  drew 
roars  of  laughter,  and  many  rounds  of  applause  for  the 
Doctor,  and  left  him,  sure  enough,  the  lion  of  the  evening.* 
After  he  had  finished  his  song,  he  traversed  the  platform 


*  WOLF  SONG. — This  amusing:  song,  which  I  have  since  learned  more 
of,  and  which  I  believe  to  be  peculiar  to  the  loways,  seems  to  come  strictly 
under  the  province  of  the  medicine  or  mystery  man.  I  will  venture  to  say, 
that  this  ingenious  adaptation  will  excite  a  smile,  if  not  some  degree  of  real 
amusement,  as  well  as  applause,  whenever  it  is  fairly  heard  and  understood 
by  an  English  audience.  The  occasion  that  calls  for  this  song  in  the  loway 
country  is,  when  a  party  of  young  men  who  are  preparing  to  start  on  a 
war  excursion  against  their  enemy  (after  having  fatigued  the  whole  village 
for  several  days  with  the  war  dance,  making  their  boasts  how  they  are  going 
to  slay  their  enemies,  &c.)  have  retired  to  rest,  at  a  late  hour  in  the  night, 
to  start  the  next  morning,  at  break  of  day,  on  their  intended  expedition. 
In  the  dead  of  that  night,  and  after  the  vaunting  war  party  have  got  into 
a  sound  sleep,  the  serenading  party,  to  sing  this  song,  made  up  of  a  number 
of  young  fellows  who  care  at  that  time  much  less  about  taking  scalps  than 
they  do  for  a  little  good  fun,  appear  back  of  the  wrig-wams  of  these  "  men 
of  war"  and  commence  serenading  them  with  this  curious  song,  which  they 
have  ingeniously  taken  from  the  howling  of  a  gang  of  wolves,  and  so  admi 
rably  adapted  it  to  music  as  to  form  it  into  a  most  amusing  duet,  quartet, 
or  whatever  it  may  be  better  termed  ;  and  with  this  song,  with  its  barking 
and  howling  chorus,  they  are  sure  to  annoy  the  party  until  they  get  up, 
light  the  fire,  get  out  their  tobacco,  and  other  little  luxuries  they  may  have 
prepared  for  their  excursion,  which  they  will  smoke  and  partake  with  them 
until  daylight,  if  they  last  so  long,  when  they  will  take  leave  of  their  morn 
ing  friends  who  are  for  the  "  death,"  thanking  them  for  their  liberality  and 
kindness  in  starting,  wishing  them  a  good  night's  sleep  (when  night  comes 
again)  and  a  successful  campaign  against  their  enemies. 


SHAKING  HANDS.  25 

a  few  times,  lavishing  his  self-complacent  smiles  upon  the 
ladies  around  the  room,  and  then  desired  me  to  say  to  the 
audience,  that  on  the  next  evening  they  were  going  to  give 
the  Pipe  of  Peace-dance,  and  the  Scalp-dance,  which  he 
wished  all  the  ladies  to  see,  and  that  now  the  chiefs  and 
himself  ware  ready  to  shake  hands  with  all  the  people  in  the 
room . 

This  of  course  brought  a  rush  of  visitors  to  the  platform, 
anxious  to  welcome  the  new  comers  by  giving  them  their 
hands.  A  general  shake  of  the  hands  took  place,  and  a 
conversation  that  occupied  half  an  hour  or  more,  and  much 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Indians  as  well  as  to  those  who 
came  to  see  them. 

Much  curiosity  was  kept  up  yet  about  the  Doctor.  The 
impression  that  his  countenance  and  his  wit  had  made  upon 
the  women  had  secured  a  knot  of  them  about  him,  from 
whom  it  was  difficult  to  disengage  him  :  some  complained 
that  they  were  sick,  and  desired  him  to  feel  their  pulse  ;  he 
did  so,  and  being  asked  as  to  the  nature  of  their  disease,  he 
replied  that  "  they  were  in  love,'? — and  as  to  the  remedy, 
he  said,  "  Get  husbands,  and  in  a  day  and  a  night  you  will 
be  well."  All  this  they  could  have  got  from  other  quarters, 
but  coming  from  an  Indian,  whose  naked  shoulders  were 
glistening  around  the  room,  it  seemed  to  come  with  the 
freshness  and  zest  of  something  entirely  new,  and  created 
much  merriment. 

The  amusements  of  their  first  night  being  over,  the 
Indians  were  withdrawn  from  the  room,  and  the  audience 
soon  dispersed.  Daniel,  as  usual,  had  been  at  his  post,  and 
his  report  of  a  few  moments'  chat  with  the  "jolly  fat  dame  " 
gave  me  the  first  intelligence  of  the  awful  error  I  had  com 
mitted  in  giving  her  bracelet  to  the  Doctor  instead  of  the 
Roman-nose,  for  whom  she  had  intended  it.  She  had  said  to 
him,  however,  that  "  it  wras  no  matter,  and  the  error  must  not 
be  corrected  ;  she  would  bring  one  on  the  following  evening  for 
the  Roman-nose,  and  begged  that  the  Doctor  might  never  be 
apprised  of  the  mistake  which  had  resulted  to  his  benefit." 


26  THE  ROMAN-NOSE. 

"  They  are  a  splendid  set  of  men,  Daniel — far  superior 
to  the  others.  It  is  the  greatest  treat  I  ever  had — I 
shall  be  here  every  night.  You  '11  think  by  and  by 
that  I  am  a  pretty  good  customer ;  ha,  Daniel  ?  That 
Roman-nose  is  a  magnificent  fellow — he  's  got  no  wife,  has 
he,  Daniel?  "  "  No,  Madam,  he  is  the  youngest  man  of  the 
party."  "  He  is  an  elegant  fellow — but  then  his  skin, 
Daniel.  Their  skins  are  not  so  fine  as  the  others — they  are 
too  black,  or  red,  or  what  you  call  it ;  but  Cadotte  !  what 
a  beautiful  colour  he  was,  ha?  But  I  dare  say  a  little 
washing  and  living  in  a  city  would  bring  them  nearly  white  ? 
These  people  love  Mr.  Catlin  — he's  a  curious  man- 
he  's  a  wonderful  man ;  these  are  his  old  acquaintance,  he 
has  boarded  with  them  ;  how  they  love  him,  don't  they  ? 
Ah,  well,  good  night,  good  night."  She  was  the  last  of 
the  visitors  going  out  of  the  door,  and  did  not  know  that  I 
was  so  close  behind  her. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Character  of  the  Doctor  (mystery  or  medicine  man) — An  omnibus  drive — 
The  Doctor's  admiration  of  the  "  jolly  fat  dame" — Jealousy — War-dress 
and  war-paint  of  the  Roman-nose — His  appearance — He  leads  the  War- 
dance — The  Welcome-dance,  and  Bear-dance — Description  of — Pipe-of- 
peace  (or  Calumet)  dance,  and  Scalp -dance — Chip-pe-ho-la  (the 
Author) — Speech  of  the  War-chief— The  "  jolly  fat  dame  " — She  pre 
sents  a  gold  bracelet  to  Roman-nose — Jealousy  and  distress  of  the 
Doctor — She  converses  with  Daniel — Two  reverend  gentlemen  converse 
with  the  Indians  about  religion — Reply  of  White-cloud  and  War-chief 
— Questions  by  the  reverend  gentlemen — Answers  by  the  War-chief — 
Indians  invited  to  breakfast  with  Mr.  Disraeli,  M.P.,  Park  Lane — 
Indians'  toilette  and  dress — The  Doctor  and  Jim  (Wash-ka-mon-ya) 
fasting  for  the  occasion. 

ON  paying  a  visit  to  the  lodgings  of  the  Indians,  after  they 
had  returned  from  the  exhibition,  I  found  them  in  a  merry 
mood,  cracking  their  jokes  upon  the  Doctor,  who  had  put 
himself  forward  in  so  conspicuous  a  manner,  to  the  great 
amusement  of  the  ladies.  During  the  exhibition,  it  would 
have  appeared,  from  his  looks  and  his  actions,  that  he  was 
to  be  perfectly  happy  for  a  twelvemonth  at  least;  but  he 
now  appeared  sad  and  dejected  as  he  listened  to  their  jokes, 
and  turned  his  splendid  bracelet  around  with  his  fingers. 
Several  of  the  women  had  received  brooches  and  other 
trinkets  of  value,  and  all  had  been  highly  pleased. 

It  seemed  that  the  War-chief  was  looked  upon  by  the 
rest  of  the  party  as  their  orator;  and,  on  an  occasion 
like  that  which  had  just  passed  by,  it  was  usual,  and 
was  expected,  that  he  would  have  arisen  and  made  a 
speech ;  and  it  was  as  little  expected  that  the  Doctor, 
who,  they  said,  was  a  very  diffident  and  backward  man  on 
such  occasions,  should  have  had  so  much,  or  anything  to  say. 
But  the  Doctor  was  a  man  of  talent  and  wit,  and  with  an 


28  CHARACTER  OF  THE  DOCTOR. 

exorbitant  share  of  vanity  and  self-conceit,  which  were  ex 
cited  to  that  degree  by  the  irresistible  smiles  of  the  ladies, 
that  he  was  nerved  with  courage  and  ambition  to  act  the 
part  that  he  did  through  the  evening.  Under  the  mo 
mentary  excitement  of  his  feelings,  he  had,  to  be  sure,  but 
innocently,  stepped  a  little  out  of  his  sphere,  and  in  the  way 
of  the  chiefs,  which  had  somewhat  annoyed  them  at  the 
time,  but  of  which  they  were  now  rather  making  merry  than 
otherwise.  The  Doctor  was  a  good-natured  and  harmless 
man,  and  entirely  the  creature  of  impulse.  He  was  always 
polite,  though  not  always  in  good  humour.  The  two  leading 
traits  in  his  character,  one  or  the  other  of  which  was  always 
conspicuous,  were  extreme  buoyancy  of  spirits  and  good 
humour,  when  he  smiled  upon  everybody  and  everything 
around  him,  or  silent  dejection,  which  bade  defiance  to  every 
social  effort.  In  either  of  these  moods  he  had  the  pecu 
liarities  of  being  entirely  harmless,  and  of  remaining  in 
them  but  a  very  short  time  ;  and  between  these  moods,  he 
was  like  a  spirit  level,  exceedingly  difficult  to  hold  at  a 
balance. 

The  jokes  that  had  been  concentrated  on  the  Doctor  had 
been  rather  pleasant  and  amusing  than  otherwise,  though 
there  had  been  so  many  of  them  from  the  chiefs,  from  the 
warriors,  from  the  squaws,  and  also  from  Mr.  Melody, 
and  Jeffrey  and  Daniel,  all  of  whom  were  laughing  at  his 
expense,  that  I  found  him,  and  left  him,  sitting  in  one  corner 
of  the  room,  with  his  robe  wrapped  around  him,  in  stoic 
silence,  occasionally  casting  his  eyes  on  his  gold  bracelet, 
and  then  upon  the  smoking  beef-steaks  and  coffee  which  were 
on  the  table  for  their  suppers,  and  of  which  he  partook  not. 

Whilst  the  rest  were  at  the  table,  he  silently  spread  his 
robe  upon  the  floor,  and  wrapped  himself  in  it.  In  the 
morning  he  washed,  as  usual,  at  the  dawning  of  day,  spent 
an  hour  or  so  in  solitary  meditation  on  the  roof  of  the 
house,  and  afterwards  joined  with  a  pleasant  face  at  the 
breakfast  table,  and  through  the  amusements  of  the  day 
and  evening. 


AN  OMNIBUS  DRIVE.  29 

Mr.  Melody  had,  with  my  cordial  approbation,  employed 
an  omnibus  with  four  horses,  to  drive  them  an  hour  each 
day  for  the  benefit  of  their  health ;  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  amuse  and  instruct  them,  by  showing  them  everything 
that  they  could  see  in  the  civilized  world  to  their  advantage. 
The  Doctor  joined,  in  good  spirits,  in  the  "  drive  "  of  that 
day;  and,  as  on  the  day  before,  was  wrapped  in  his  buffalo, 
and  seated  by  the  side  of  the  driver,  with  the  polished  blade 
of  his  lance  glistening  above  his  head,  as  many  Londoners 
who  read  this  will  forcibly  recollect. 

From  their  drive,  in  which  they  had  seen  many  strange 
things,  they  returned  in  good  spirits,  and  received  in  their 
chambers  a  private  party  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  my 
esteemed  friends,  and  several  editors  of  the  leading  journals 
of  London.  A  long  and  very  interesting  conversation  was 
held  with  them  on  several  subjects,  and  the  clear  and  argu 
mentative  manner  in  which  their  replies  were  made,  and  the 
truly  striking  and  primitive  modes  in  which  they  were  found, 
at  once  engaged  the  profound  attention  of  all,  and  procured 
for  them,  besides  some  handsome  presents  at  the  time,  the 
strongest  recommendations  from  the  editors  of  the  press,  as 
subjects  of  far  greater  interest  than  the  party  of  Ojibbeways, 
whom  they  had  before  seen.  Amongst  these  visiters  they 
recognized  with  great  pleasure,  and  shook  hands  with,  my 
kind  friend  Dr.  Thomas  Hodgkin,  at  whose  hospitable 
board  they  had,  a  few  days  before,  with  the  author,  par 
taken  of  an  excellent  dinner  prepared  for  them.  This  was 
the  first  gentleman's  table  they  were  invited  to  in  the  king 
dom,  and  probably  the  first  place  where  they  ever  tried  the 
use  of  the  knife  and  fork  in  the  English  style. 

Dr.  Hodgkin  being  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  they  re 
ceived  much  kind  and  friendly  advice  from  him,  which  they 
never  forgot ;  and  from  the  unusual  shape  of  his  dress,  they 
called  him  afterwards  (not  being  able  to  recollect  his  name) 
Tchon  a-wap-pa  (the  straight  coat). 

At  night  they  were  in  the  Hall  again,  and  around  them, 
amidst  a  greatly  increased  audience,  had  the  pleasure  of 


30  WAR-DRESS  AND  WAR-PAINT  OF  ROMAN-NOSE. 

beholding  nearly  all  the  faces  they  had  seen  the  night  be 
fore  ;  and  the  Doctor,  in  particular,  of  seeing  the  smiling 
ladies  whom  he  had  invited  to  see  the  scalp-dance  and  the 
scalps,  and,  to  his  more  identical  satisfaction,  of  beholding, 
at  the  end  of  the  platform  where  he  had  taken  pains  to 
spread  his  robe  and  seat  himself,  the  fair  dame  of  gushing 
charms,  to  whom  he  was  occasionally  gently  turning  his 
head  on  one  side  and  smiling,  as  he  presented  to  her  view 
his  copper-coloured  arm,  encompassed  with  the  golden 
bracelet. 

This  kind  lady's  goodness  was  such  that  she  could  not  but 
respond  to  the  bows  and  the  smiles  of  the  Doctor,  though 
(within  herself)  she  felt  a  little  annoyed  at  the  position 
which  he  had  taken,  so  immediately  between  her  place, 
which  the  crowd  prevented  her  from  changing,  and  that  of  the 
splendid  "  Roman  Nose,'1'1  who  was  now  much  more  an  object 
of  admiration  than  he  had  been  the  night  before,  and  more 
peremptorily  called  for  all  her  attention.  He  had  been 
selected  to  lead  in  the  scalp-dance  which  was  to  be  given  that 
night;  and  for  this  purpose,  in  pursuance  of  the  custom  of 
the  country,  he  had  left  off  his  shirt  and  all  his  dress  save 
his  beautifully  garnished  leggings  and  mocassins,  and  his 
many- coloured  sash  and  kilt  of  eagle's  quills  and  ermine 
around  his  waist.  His  head  was  vermilioned  red,  and 
dressed  with  his  helmet-like  red  crest,  and  surmounted  with 
a  white  and  a  red  eagle's  quill,  denoting  his  readiness  for 
peace  or  for  war.  His  shoulders  and  his  arms  were  curi 
ously  streaked  writh  red  paint,  and  on  his  right  and  his  left 
breast  were  the  impresses,  in  black  paint,  of  two  hands,  de 
noting  the  two  victims  he  had  struck,  and  whose  scalps  he 
then  held  attached  to  his  painted  tomahawk,  which  he  was 
to  wield  in  triumph  as  he  had  in  the  scalp-dance.  Thus 
arrayed  and  ornamented,  he  appeared  in  his  "  war  dress," 
as  it  is  termed;  and  as  he  arose  from  his  seat  upon  the 
platform,  and  drew  his  painted  shield  and  quiver  from  his 
back,  shouts  of  applause  rung  from  every  part  of  the  hall, 
and,  of  course,  trepidation  increased  in  the  veins  of  the  fair 


WELCOME-DANCE—BEAR-DANCE.  31 

dame,  whose  elbows  were  resting  on  the  edge  of  the  plat 
form,  while  she  was  in  rapture  gazing  upon  him,  and  but 
partly  concealing  at  times  a  beautiful  trinket,  the  sparkling 
of  which  the  sharp  eyes  of  the  Doctor  had  seen,  as  she 
endeavoured  to  conceal  it  in  her  right  hand. 

The  Doctor  could  not  speak  to  this  fair  lady  except  with 
his  eyes,  with  the  softest  expressions  of  which  he  lost  no 
time  or  opportunity;  and  (for  several  combined  reasons,,  no 
doubt)  he  seemed  quite  unambitious  to  leave  his  seat  to 
" saw  the  air"  and  strike  for  a  repetition  of  the  applause 
he  had  gained  the  night  before. 

Unfortunately  in  some  respects,  and  as  fortunately  no 
doubt  in  others,  the  splendid  fl  Roman  Nose  "  held  his  posi 
tion  at  the  farther  end  of  the  platform  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  evening  ;  and  the  Doctor,  for  the  several  reasons 
already  imagined,  remained  in  the  close  vicinity  of  the  fair 
dame,  whose  over-timidity,  he  feared,  held  her  in  an  un 
necessary  and  painful  suspense. 

In  this  position  of  things  and  of  parties,  the  amusements 
allotted  for  the  evening  had  commenced,  and  were  progress 
ing,  amidst  the  roars  of  applause  that  were  ready  at  the 
close  of  each  dance.  They  commenced  by  giving  the  "Wel 
come  Dance"  and  song*  peculiar  to  their  tribe.  The  senti 
ment  of  this  being  explained  by  me,  gave  great  pleasure  to 
the  audience,  and  prepared  them  for  the  dances  and  amuse 
ments  which  were  to  follow. 

They  next  announced  the  "  Bear  Dance"  and  amused 
the  audience  very  much  in  its  execution.  This  curious 
dance  is  given  when  a  party  are  preparing  to  hunt  the  black 
bear,  for  its  delicious  food  ;  or  to  contend  with  the  more 

*  This  peculiar  dance  is  given  to  a  stranger,  or  strangers,  whom  they 
are  decided  to  welcome  in  their  village  ;  and  out  of  respect  to  the  person  or 
persons  to  whom  they  are  expressing  this  welcome,  the  musicians  and  all 
the  spectators  rise  upon  their  feet  while  it  is  being  danced. 

The  song  is  at  first  a  lament  for  some  friend,  or  friends,  who  are  dead  or 
gone  away,  and  ends  in  a  gay  and  lively  and  cheerful  step,  whilst  they  are 
announcing  that  the  friend  to  whom  they  are  addressing  it  is  received  into 
the  place  which  has  been  left. 


32  PRESENT  OF  BIBLES— SCALP-DANCE. 

ferocious  and  dangerous  "  grizty  bear"  when  a  similar 
appeal  is  made  to  the  bear -spirit,  and  with  similar  results, 
(i.e.)  all  hands  having  strictly  attended  to  the  important 
and  necessary  form  of  conciliating  in  this  way  the  good  will 
and  protection  of  the  peculiar  spirit  presiding  over  the  des 
tinies  of  those  animals,  they  start  off  upon  their  hunt  with 
a  confidence  and  prospect  of  success  which  they  could  not 
otherwise  have  ventured  to  count  upon.  In  this  grotesque 
and  amusing  mode,  each  dancer  imitates  with  his  hands, 
alternately,  the  habits  of  the  bear  when  running,  and  when 
sitting  up,  upon  its  feet,  its  paws  suspended  from  its  breast. 

It  was  customary  with  them  to  be  seated  a  few  minutes 
after  each  dance,  and  to  pass  around  the  pipe ;  and  in  the 
interval  they  were  thus  filling  up  after  this  dance,  the 
Indians,  as  wrell  as  the  audience,  were  all  surprised  at  the 
appearance  of  a  large  square  parcel  handed  in,  and  on  to  the 
platform,  by  a  servant  in  livery,  as  a  present  to  the  Indians 
from  his  anonymous  mistress,  "  Curiosity  was  on  tip-toe  " 
to  know  what  so  bulky  a  parcel  contained;  and  when  it 
was  opened,  it  was  found  to  contain  14  beautifully  bound 
Bibles — the  number  just  equal  to  the  number  of  Indians  of 
the  party  ;  and  a  very  kind  letter  addressed  to  them,  and 
which  was  read,  exhorting  them  to  change  the  tenor  of  their 
lives,  to  learn  to  read,  and  to  profit  by  the  gifts  enclosed  to 
them. 

The  Bibles  being  distributed  amongst  them,  the  War- 
chief  arose,  and  in  the  most  respectful  and  appropriate 
manner  returned  his  thanks  for  the  liberal  present  and  the 
kind  wishes  of  the  lady  who  gave  them ;  he  said  he  was 
sorry  he  did  not  know  which  lady  to  thank,  but  by  thanking 
all  in  the  room,  he  considered  he  was  taking  the  surest  way 
of  conveying  his  thanks  to  her. 

After  this,  the  ne  plus  ultra  (as  the  Doctor  would  un 
doubtedly  call  it),  the  frightful  "  Scalp  Dance"  *  was  an- 

*  This  barbarous  and  exciting  scene  is  the  Indian  mode  of  celebrating  a 
victory,  and  is  given  fifteen  nights  in  succession,  when  a  war  party  returns 
from  battle,  having  taken  scalps  from  the  heads  of  their  enemies.  Taking 


SCALP-DANCE.  33 

nounced.  All  parties,  the  modest  squaws  (of  whom  they 
had  four  with  them)  as  well  as  the  men,  were  arranging 
their  dresses  and  implements  to  take  part  in  it.  The  drums 
struck  up,  and  the  "splendid  Roman  Nose"  led  off;  waving 
his  two  scalps  on  the  point  of  a  lance,  until  he  was  once 
around  the  circle,  when  they  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  a 
squaw  to  carry,  whilst  he  wielded  his  tomahawk  and  scalping- 
knife,  and  showed  the  manner  in  which  his  unfortunate 
enemies  had  fallen  before  him.  This  was  probably  the  first 
time  that  the  Scalp  Dance,  in  its  original  and  classic  form, 
was  ever  seen  in  the  city  of  London,  and  embellished  by 
the  presence  of  real  and  genuine  scalps. 

This  exciting  scene,  with  its  associations,  had  like  to  have 
been  too  much  for  the  nerves  and  tastes  of  London  people ; 
but  having  evidently  assembled  here  for  the  pleasure  of 
receiving  shocks  and  trying  their  nerves,  they  soon  seemed 
reconciled,  and  all  looked  on  with  amazement  and  pleasure, 
whilst  they  were  sure  for  once  in  their  lives,  at  least,  that 
they  were  drawing  information  from  its  true  and  native 
source.  This  dance  was  long  and  tedious,  but  when  it  was 
finished,  it  was  followed  by  a  deafening  round  of  applause, 
not  of  approbation  of  the  shocking  and  disgusting  custom, 
but  of  the  earnest  and  simple  manner  in  which  these 

the  scalp  is  practised  by  all  the  American  tribes,  and  by  them  all  very  much 
in  the  same  way,  by  cutting  off  a  patch  of  the  skin  from  a  victim's  head 
when  killed  in  battle  ;  and  this  piece  of  skin,  with  the  hair  on  it,  is  the 
scalp,  which  is  taken  and  preserved  solely  for  a  trophy,  as  the  proof  positive 
that  its  possessor  has  killed  an  enemy  in  battle,  and  this  because  they  have 
no  books  of  history  or  public  records  to  refer  to  for  the  account  of  the 
battles  of  military  men.  The  scalp  dance  is  generally  danced  by  torch 
light,  at  a  late  hour  in  the  night;  and,  in  all  tribes,  the  women  take  a  con 
spicuous  part  in  it,  by  dancing  in  the  circle  with  the  men,  holding  up  the 
scalps  just  brought  from  battle,  attached  to  the  top  of  a  pole,  or  the  handle 
of  a  lance. 

A  scalp,  to  be  a  genuine  one,  must  have  been  taken  from  the  head  of  an 
enemy,  and  that  enemy  dead.  The  living  are  sometimes  scalped,  but  when 
ever  it  occurs,  it  is  on  a  field  of  battle,  amongst  the  wounded,  and  supposed 
to  be  dead,  who  sometimes  survive,  but  with  the  signal  disgrace  of  having 
lost  a  patch  of  the  skin  and  hair  from  the  top  of  their  heads. 
VOL.  II.  D 


34  PIPE  OF  PEACE  (OR  CALUMET)  DANCE. 

ignorant  and  thoughtless  people  were  endeavouring  to 
instruct  and  to  amuse  the  enlightened  world  by  a  strict  and 
emphatic  illustration  of  one  of  the  barbarous,  but  valued, 
modes  of  their  country. 

The  subject  and  mode  of  scalping,  and  of  thus  celebrating 
their  victories,  so  little  understood  in  the  enlightened  world, 
afforded  me  an  interesting  theme  for  remarks  at  this  time ; 
and  when  the  Indians  were  again  seated  and  "taking  a 
smoke"  I  took  the  occasion  of  this  complete  illustration  to 
explain  it  in  all  its  parts  and  meanings,,  for  which,  when  I 
had  done,  I  received  five  times  as  much  applause  as  I 
deserved  for  doing  it. 

The  Pipe  of  Peace  (or  Calumet)  Dance  *  was  the  next  an 
nounced  ;  and  was  danced  with  great  spirit,  and  gained 
them  much  applause.  At  the  close  of  this,  their  favourite 
dance,  it  became  peculiarly  the  privilege  of  the  War-chief  to 
make  his  boast,  as  the  dance  is  given  only  at  the  conclusion 
of  a  treaty  of  peace  between  hostile  tribes,  and  at  which 
treaty  he  is  supposed  to  preside.  For  this  purpose  he  rose, 
and  straightening  up  his  tall  and  veteran  figure,  with  his 
buffalo  robe  thrown  over  his  shoulder  and  around  him,  with 
his  right  arm  extended  over  the  heads  of  his  fellow  war 
riors,  made  a  most  animated  speech  to  them  for  several 
minutes  (with  his  back  turned  towards  the  audience), 
reminding  them  of  the  principal  exploits  of  his  military  life, 
with  which  they  were  all  familiar.  He  then  called  upon 
one  of  the  younger  men  to  light  his  pipe,  which  being  done, 
and  placed  in  his  hand,  he  took  several  deliberate  whiffs 


*  The  Pipe  of  Peace  (or  calumet)  is  a  sacred  pipe,  so  held  by  all  the 
American  tribes,  and  kept  in  possession  of  the  chiefs,  to  be  smoked  only  at 
times  of  peace- making.  When  the  terms  of  a  treaty  have  been  agreed  upon, 
this  sacred  pipe,  the  stem  of  which  is  ornamented  with  eagle's  quills,  is 
brought  forward,  and  the  solemn  pledge  to  keep  the  peace  is  passed  through 
the  sacred  stem  by  each  chief  and  warrior  drawing  the  smoke  once  through 
it.  After  this  ceremony  is  over,  the  warriors  of  the  two  tribes  unite  in  the 
dance,  with  the  pipe  of  peace  held  in  the  left  hand,  and  a  she-she-quoi  (or 
rattle)  in  the  right. 


SPEECH  OF  THE  WAR-CHIEF.  35 

through  its  long  and  ornamented  stem ;  this  done,  and  his 
ideas  all  arranged,  he  deliberately  turned  around,  and 
passing  his  pipe  into  his  left  hand,  extended  his  right  over 
the  heads  of  the  audience  and  commenced  : — 

"  My  Friends, — We  believe  that  all  our  happiness  in  this  life  is  given  to 
us  by  the  Great  Spirit,  and  through  this  pipe  I  have  thanked  Him  for  en 
abling  me  to  be  here  at  this  time,  and  to  speak  to  you  all  who  are  around  me. 
(How,  how,  how  !  and  applause  ) 

"  My  Friends, — We  have  had  a  long  journey,  and  we  are  still  very  much 
fatigued.  We  prayed  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  He  has  heard  our  prayers  ; 
we  are  all  here,  and  all  well.  (How,  how,  how!  and  Hear!) 

"My  Friends,— We  are  poor  and  live  in  the  woods,  and  though  the 
Great  Spirit  is  with  us,  yet  He  has  not  taught  us  how  to  weave  the  beauti 
ful  things  that  you  make  in  this  country  ;  we  have  seen  many  of  those 
things  brought  to  us,  and  we  are  now  happy  to  be  where  all  these  fine  things 
are  made.  (How,  how,  how  I  ) 

"  My  Friends, — The  Great  Spirit  has  made  us  with  red  skins,  and  taught 
us  how  to  live  in  the  wilderness,  but  has  not  taught  us  to  live  as  you 
do.  Our  dresses  are  made  of  skins  and  are  very  coarse,  but  they  are  warm  ; 
and  in  our  dances  we  are  in  the  habit  of  showing  the  skins  of  our  shoulders 
and  our  arms,  and  we  hope  you  will  not  be  angry  with  us — it  is  our  way. 
(How,  how,  how!  and  great  applause.) 

"  My  Friends, — We  have  heard  that  your  chief  is  a  woman,  and  we 
know  that  she  must  be  a  great  chief,  or  your  country  would  not  be  so  rich 
and  so  happy.  (Cheers  and  Hear ! )  We  have  been  told  that  the  Ojib- 
beways  went  to  see  your  queen,  and  that  she  smiled  upon  them  ;  this  makes 
us  the  more  anxious  to  see  her  face,  as  the  Ojibbeways  are  our  enemies. 
(How,  how,  how  .') 

u  My  Friends, — We  hope  to  see  the  face  of  jour  queen,  and  then  we 
shall  be  happy.  Our  friend  Chippehola*  has  told  us  that  he  thinks  we 
shall  see  her.  My  Friends,  we  do  not  know  whether  there  are  any  of  her 
relations  now  in  the  room.  (How,  how,  how!  and  a  laugh.) 

"  My  Friends, — We  shall  be  glad  to  shake  your  hands.  This  is  all  I 
have  to  say."  (Great  applause.) 

At  the  close  of  his  speech,  and  as  he  turned  around  to 
meet  the  approbation  of  his  fellow-warriors,  there  was  a 
sudden  burst  of  laughter  amongst  the  Indians,  occasioned 
by  the  sarcastic  and  exulting  manner  in  which  the  old 
Doctor  told  him  he  had  better  say  something  more  before  he 
sat  down,  "  because,"  said  he,  "  you  have  not  made  half  as 


Geo.  Catlin. 

D2 


36       GOLD  BRACELET  PRESENTED  TO  THE  ROMAN-NOSE. 

much  laugh  yet  as  I  did  last  night."  "  I  should  be  sorry  if 
I  had,"  said  the  War-chief;  "  the  audience  always  laugh  the 
moment  they  see  your  ugly  face." 

The  Doctor's  troubles  commenced  here,  for  just  at  that 
moment  the  "  fair  dame "  had  caught  the  eye  of  the 
"  Roman-nose,"  and  holding  up  a  beautiful  bracelet  enclosing 
a  brilliant  stone,  she  tempted  him  up,  while  she  clasped  it 
upon  his  arm  as  it  was  extended  immediately  over  the 
Doctor's  head,  whose  unfailing  politeness  induced  him  to 
bow  down  his  head  to  facilitate  the  operation. 

When  the  "Roman-nose"  had  taken  his  seat,  and  the 
poor  Doctor  had  raised  up  his  head  to  meet  the  eyes  and 
the  taunts  of  his  fellow- Indians,  who  were  laughing  at  him, 
and  the  gaze  of  the  visitors  from  every  quarter  of  the 
room,  there  was  a  smile,  but  altogether  a  new  one,  and  a  new 
word  should  be  coined  for  the  sudden  and  singular  distress 
of  the  dilemma  he  was  in :  it  would  not  do  to  undervalue 
the  beautiful  present  that  was  already  upon  his  arm,  and  to 
save  his  life  he  could  not  smile  as  pleasantly  upon  the  fair 
hand  that  gave  it  as  he  had  been  smiling  a  few  minutes 
before.  The  trinket  had  instantly  fallen  fifty  per  cent,  in 
its  value — the  brilliant  prospect  that  had  been  before  him 
had  fled,  and  left  him  in  the  dread,  not  only  that  his  beauti 
ful  commercial  prospects  were  blighted,  but  that  he  was  to 
have  an  enemy  in  the  field. 

The  Roman-nose  received  his  present  in  a  respectful 
and  thankful  manner,  but  it  was  too  late  to  be  affectionately 
accepted,  as  it  was  the  second  one  that  was  afloat,  and  taken 
by  him,  partly  as  an  evidence  of  a  kind  heart,  and  partly  as 
a  foil  to  cover  the  true  meaning  of  the  first  one  that  had 
been  bestowed.  However,  he  valued  it  very  much,  and  the 
secret  respecting  the  mistake  that  had  been  made  in  pre 
senting  the  first,  having  been  committed  only  to  Daniel  and 
myself,  was  thought  best,  for  the  peace  of  all  parties,  not  to 
be  divulged. 

The  amusements  of  the  evening  being  finished,  there  com 
menced  a  general  shake  of  the  hands,  and  when  it  had  been 


"JOLLY  FAT  DAME"  CONVERSES  WITH  DANIEL.          37 

requested  by  some  of  the  audience  that  the  Indians  should 
come  on  to  the  floor,  the  request  was  instantly  complied  with, 
which  afforded  the  most  gratifying  opportunity  for  the 
visitors  to  get  near  to  them,  and  scan  them  and  their 
costumes  and  weapons  more  closely.  There  was  a  general 
outcry  by  the  ladies  for  the  wife  of  the  Little  -  wolf  to 
descend  from  the  platform  with  her  little  pappoose  slung  on 
her  back  in  its  splendid  cradle,  ornamented  with  porcupine's 
quills  and  ermine  skins.  It  was  a  beautiful  illustration, 
and  formed  one  of  the  most  attractive  features  of  the  exhi 
bition,  for  gentlemen  as  well  as  for  ladies,  as  thousands  will 
recollect. 

The  "jolly  fat  dame"  had  an  opportunity  of  meeting  the 
Roman-nose  and  of  shaking  his  hand  :  but,  "  oh,  the  distress  ! 
she  could  not  speak  to  him  as  she  had  done  to  Cadotte, — it 
was  impossible  for  her  to  explain  to  him  the  abominable 
mistake  of  the  first  night,  and  she  feared  he  never  would 
properly  appreciate  the  present  which  she  had  just  made 
him  ;  nevertheless  they  were  "  a  noble,  fine  set  of  fellows." 
The  Doctor  passed  about  in  the  crowd  shaking  hands, 
and  shaking  his  fan  also,  which  was  made  of  the  eagle's  tail. 
He  met  the  "  fair  dame,"  and  (cruel  that  he  could  not  speak 
to  her)  he  dropped  many  smiles  as  he  looked  down  upon  and 
over  her  dimpled  cheeks  and  round  neck,  as  he  raised  and 
showed  her  his  brawny  arm  with  the  golden  bracelet. 

The  Indians  soon  withdrew,  and  after  them  the  crowd  ; 
and  after  the  crowd  the  "  jolly  fat  dame,"  who  said  to 
Daniel  as  she  passed,  "  I  can't  stop  to-night,  Daniel,  I  am 
in  a  great  hurry  ;  but  I  gave  the  bracelet  to  the  Roman- 
nose — [  got  a  good  opportunity,  Daniel — I  buckled  it  on 
myself:  oh,  yes,  I  did — that  I  did — the  good  fellow,  he  stood 
it  well — he  never  stirred.  He'll  recollect  me,  won't  he, 
Daniel?  I  am  going;  but  oh,  look  here — I  can't,  to  save 
my  life,  make  the  poor  fellow  understand  how  the  accident 
took  place — it  is  so  provoking! — it's  awkward — it  is  very 
annoying  to  me.  You  can  tell  him,  Daniel — I  wish  you 
would  tell  him — I  want  you  to  explain  it  to  him.  Come, 


38  CONVERSATION  WITH  INDIANS  ON  RELIGION. 

will  you,  Daniel?  that 's  a  good  fellow.  Tell  him  I  never 
intended  to  give  a  bracelet  to  the  old  Doctor.  But  stop, 
he  won't  tell  the  Doctor  that,  will  he?  I  wouldn't  for  the 
world  hurt  the  poor  old  man's  feelings — no,  Daniel,  not  for 
twenty  bracelets — what  shall  we  do  ?"  "  Oh,  there  is  no 
danger,  Madam,  that  the  Doctor  will  ever  hear  of  it." 
"  You  think  so  ?"  "  Oh,  I  am  sure,  Madam."  "  Then  it 's 
all  right — good  night.  I  shall  be  here  every  night,  you 
know." 

The  next  morning  after  this,  the  Rev.  Mr. and  Mr. 

called  upon  me  at  my  family  residence,  to  ask  if  it 

would  be  consistent  with  my  views  and  the  views  of  the 
Indians  for  them  to  have  some  conversation  with  them  in 
private  on  the  subject  of  religion  and  education.  I  replied, 
that  it  was  one  of  the  greatest  satisfactions  I  could  have 
during  their  stay  in  England,  to  promote  as  far  as  in  rny 
power  such  well-meant  efforts  to  enlighten  their  minds,  and 
to  enable  them  to  benefit  in  that  way  by  their  visit  to  this 
country.  I  told  them  also,  that  I  was  very  glad  to  say  that 
this  party  was  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Melody,  a  man  who 
was  high  in  the  confidence  of  the  American  Government, 
and  that  I  knew  him  to  be  a  temperate  and  moral  man :  as 
he  was  interested  in  the  missionary  efforts  being  made  in 
this  very  tribe,  I  felt  quite  certain  that  he  would  do  all  in 
his  power  to  promote  their  object,  and  they  had  better  call 
on  him.  They  did  so,  and  an  appointment  was  made  for 
them  to  visit  the  Indians  in  the  afternoon,  subsequent  to 
their  usual  daily  "  drive." 

Mr.  Melody  had  had  a  conversation  with  the  Indians  on 
the  subject,  and  although  they  felt  some  reluctance  at  first, 
on  account  of  the  little  time  they  would  have  to  reflect  upon 
it,  they  had  agreed  to  see  the  reverend  gentlemen  in  the 
afternoon,  and  I  was  sent  for  to  be  present.  I  was  there  at 
the  time,  and  when  the  reverend  gentlemen  called,  I  intro 
duced  them  to  the  Indians  in  their  rooms.  The  Indians 
were  all  seated  on  the  floor,  upon  their  robes  and  blankets, 
and  passing  around  the  pipe.  After  the  usual  time  taken 


REPLY  OF  WHITE-CLOUD  AND  WAR-CHIEF.  39 

by  strangers  to  examine  their  curious  dresses,  weapons,  &c.» 
one  of  the  reverend  gentlemen  mentioned  to  the  chiefs,  in  a 
very  kind  and  friendly  manner,  the  objects  of  their  visit,  and 
with  their  permission  gave  them  a  brief  account  of  the  life 
and  death  of  our  Saviour,  and  explained  as  well  as  he  could 
to  their  simple  minds  the  mode  of  Redemption.  He  urged 
upon  them  the  necessity  of  their  taking  up  this  belief,  and 
though  it  might  be  difficult  for  them  to  understand  at  first, 
yet  he  was  sure  it  was  the  only  way  to  salvation.  This 
gentleman  took  full  time  to  explain  his  views  to  them,  which 
was  done  in  the  most  suitable  language  for  their  under 
standing,  and  every  sentence  was  carefully  and  correctly 
interpreted  to  them  by  Jeffrey,  who  seemed  to  be  himself 
much  interested  in  hearing  his  remarks. 

After  the  reverend  gentleman  had  finished,  Mr.  Melody 
stated  to  the  Indians  that  he  believed  all  that  the  gentleman 
said  was  true,  and  that  he  knew  it  to  be  worth  their  closest 
and  most  patient  consideration.  He  then  asked  White-cloud 
if  he  had  anything  to  answer  ;  to  which  he  said,  "  he  had  but 
a  few  words  to  say,  as  he  did  not  feel  very  well,  and  Neu- 
mon-ya  (the  War-chief)  was  going  to  speak  for  him."  He 
thought,  however,  that  it  was  a  subject  which  they  might  as 
well  omit  until  they  got  home. 

Neu-mon-ya  during  this  time  was  hanging  his  head  quite 
down,  and  puffing  the  smoke  as  fast  as  he  could  draw  it 
through  his  pipe,  in  long  breaths,  and  discharging  it  through 
his  nostrils.  He  raised  up  after  a  moment  more  of  pause, 
and  passing  the  pipe  into  White-cloud's  hand,  folded  his 
arms,  with  his  elbows  on  his  knees,  when  he  drew  a  deep 
sigh,  and  followed  it  with  the  last  discharge  of  smoke  from 
his  lungs,  which  was  now  passing  in  two  white  streams 
through  his  distended  nostrils,  as  he  said — 

"  My  friends,* — The  Great  Spirit  has  sent  you  to  us  with  kind  words, 
and  he  has  opened  our  ears  to  hear  them,  which  we  have  done.  We  are 
glad  to  see  you  and  to  hear  you  speak,  for  we  know  that  you  are  our  friends. 

*  Being  a  silent  listener  to  these  conversations,  I  took  out  my  note  book 
and  wrote  down  the  remarks  here  given,  as  they  were  translated  by  Jeffrey. 


40  REPLY  OF  WAR-CHIEF. 

What  you  have  said  relative  to  our  learning  to  read  and  to  write,  we  arc 
sure  can  do  us  no  good — we  are  now  too  old  ;  but  for  our  children,  we  think 
it  would  be  well  for  them  to  learn  ;  and  they  are  now  going  to  schools  in 
our  village,  and  learning  to  read  and  to  write.  At,  to  the  white  man's 
religion  which  you  have  explained,  we  have  heard  it  told  to  us  in  the  same 
way,  many  times,  in  our  own  country,  and  there  are  white  men  and  women 
there  now,  trying  to  teach  it  to  our  people.  We  do  not  think  your  religion 
good,  unless  it  is  so  for  white  people,  and  this  we  don't  doubt.  The  Great 
Spirit  has  made  our  skins  red,  and  the  forests  for  us  to  live  in.  lie  has 
also  given  us  our  religion,  which  has  taken  our  fathers  to  'the  beautiful 
hunting  grounds,'  where  we  wish  to  meet  them.  We  don't  believe  that 
the  Great  Spirit  made  us  to  live  with  pale  faces  in  this  world,  and  we  think 
He  has  intended  we  should  live  separate  in  the  world  to  come. 

"  My  friends, — We  know  that  when  white  men  come  into  our  country 
we  are  unhappy — the  Indians  all  die,  or  are  driven  away  before  the  white 
men.  Our  hope  is  to  enjoy  our  hunting  grounds  in  the  world  to  come, 
which  white  men  cannot  take  from  us  :  we  know  that  our  fathers  and  our  mo 
thers  have  gone  there,  and  we  don't  know  why  we  should  not  go  there  too. 

"  My  friends, — You  have  told  us  that  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit  was 
on  earth,  and  that  he  was  killed  by  white  men,  and  that  the  Great  Spirit 
sent  him  here  to  get  killed  ;  now  we  cannot  understand  all  this — this  may 
be  necessary  for  white  people,  but  the  red  men,  we  think,  have  not  yet 
got  to  be  so  wicked  as  to  require  that.  If  it  was  necessary  that  the  Son  of 
the  Great  Spirit  should  be  killed  for  white  people,  it  may  be  necessary  for 
them  to  believe  all  this  ;  but  for  us,  we  cannot  understand  it." 

He  here  asked  for  the  pipe,  and  having  drawn  a  few 
whiffs,  proceeded. 

"  My  friends, — You  speak  of  the  *  good  book'  that  you  have  in  your 
hand  ;  we  have  many  of  these  in  our  village  ;  we  are  told  that  '  all  your 
words  about  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit  are  printed  in  that  book,  and  if 
we  learn  to  read  it,  it  will  make  good  people  of  us.'  I  would  now  ask  why 
it  don't  make  good  people  of  the  pale  faces  living  all  around  us  ?  They  can 
all  read  the  good  book,  and  they  can  understand  all  that  the  '  black  coals'* 
say,  and  still  we  find  they  are  not  so  honest  and  so  good  a  people  as  ours : 
this  we  are  sure  of ;  such  is  the  case  in  the  country  about  us,  but  here  we 
have  no  doubt  but  the  white  people  who  have  so  many  to  preach  and  so 
many  books  to  read,  are  all  honest  and  good.  In  our  country  the  white 
people  have  two  faces,  and  their  tongues  branch  in  different  ways  ;  we 
know  that  this  displeases  the  Great  Spirit,  and  we  do  not  wish  to  teach  it 
to  our  children/' 

He  here  took  the  pipe  again,  and  while  smoking,  the 
reverend  gentleman  asked  him  if  he  thought  the  Indians 

*  Clergymen. 


REPLY  OF  WAR-CHIEF.  41 

did  all  to  serve  the  Great  Spirit  that  they  ought  to  do — 
all  that  the  Great  Spirit  required  of  them  ?  to  which  he 
replied — 

"  My  friends, — I  don't  know  that  we  do  all  that  the  Great  Spirit  wishes 
us  to  do ;  there  are  some  Indians,  I  know,  who  do  not ;  there  are  some 
bad  Indians  as  well  as  bad  white  people ;  I  think  it  is  very  difficult  to  tell 
how  much  the  Great  Spirit  wishes  us  to  do." 

The  reverend  gentleman  said — 

"  That,  my  friends,  is  what  we  wish  to  teach  you;  and  if  you  can  learn 
to  read  this  good  book,  it  will  explain  all  that." 

The  chief  continued — 

"  We  believe  the  Great  Spirit  requires  us  to  pray  to  Him,  which  we  do, 
and  to  thank  Him  for  everything-  we  have  that  is  good.  We  know  that  He 
requires  us  to  speak  the  truth,  to  feed  the  poor,  and  to  love  our  friends. 
WTe  don't  know  of  anything  more  that  he  demands ;  he  may  demand  more 
of  white  people,  but  we  don't  know  that. " 

The  reverend  gentleman  inquired — 

"  Do  you  not  think  that  the  Great  Spirit  sometimes  punishes  the  Indians 
in  this  world  for  their  sins  ?  " 

War-chief. — "  Yes,  we  do  believe  so." 

Rev.  Gentleman. — "  Did  it  ever  occur  to  you,  that  the  small  pox  that 
swept  off  half  of  your  tribe,  and  other  tribes  around  you,  a  few  years  ago, 
might  have  been  sent  into  your  country  by  the  Great  Spirit  to  punish  the 
Indians  for  their  wickedness  and  their  resistance  to  his  word  ?  " 

War-chief. — "  My  Friends,  we  don't  know  that  we  have  ever  resisted 
the  word  of  the  Great  Spirit.  If  the  Great  Spirit  sent  the  small  pox  into 
our  country  to  destroy  us,  we  believe  it  was  to  punish  us  for  listening  to  the 
false  promises  of  white  men.  It  is  white  man's  disease,  and  no  doubt 
it  was  sent  amongst  white  people  to  punish  them  for  their  sins.  It  never 
came  amongst  the  Indians  until  we  began  to  listen  to  the  promises  of 
white  men,  and  to  follow  their  ways;  it  then  came  amongst  us,  and  we  are 
not  sure  but  the  Great  Spirit  then  sent  it  to  punish  us  for  our  foolishness. 
There  is  another  disease  sent  by  the  Great  Spirit  to  punish  white  men,  and 
it  punishes  them  in  the  right  place — the  place  that  offends.  We  know  that 
disease  has  been  sent  to  punish  them  ;  that  disease  was  never  amongst  the 
Indians  until  white  men  came — they  brought  it,  and  we  believe  we  shall 
never  drive  it  out  of  our  country." 

The  War-chief  here  reached  for  the  pipe  again  for  a 
minute,  and  then  continued — 

"  My  Friends, — I  hope  my  talk  does  not  offend  you  ;  we  are  children, 
and  you  will  forgive  us  for  our  ignorance.  The  Great  Spirit  expects  us  to 


42  INDIANS  INVITED  TO  MR.  DISRAELI'S. 

feed  the  poor  ;  our  wives  and  children  at  home  are  very  poor  ;  wicked  white 
men  kill  so  many  of  our  hunters  and  warriors  with  fire-water,  that  they 
bring  among  us,  and  leave  so  many  children  among  us  for  us  to  feed,  when 
they  go  away,  that  it  makes  us  very  poor.  Before  they  leave  our  country 
they  destroy  all  the  game  also,  and  do  not  teach  us  to  raise  bread,  and  our 
nation  is  now  in  that  way,  and  very  poor  ;  and  we  think  that  the  way  we 
can  please  the  Great  Spirit  first,  is  to  get  our  wives  and  children  something 
to  eat,  and  clothes  to  wear.  It  is  for  that  we  have  come  to  this  country, 
and  still  we  are  glad  to  hear  your  counsel,  for  it  is  good." 

The  reverend  gentlemen,  and  several  ladies  who  had  ac 
companied  them,  here  bestowed  some  very  beautiful  Bibles 
and  other  useful  presents  upon  the  Indians;  and  thanking 
them  for  their  patience,  were  about  to  take  leave  of  them, 
when  Mr.  Melody  begged  their  attention  for  a  few  mo 
ments  while  he  read  to  them  several  letters  just  received 
from  reverend  gentlemen  conducting  a  missionary  school 
in  this  tribe,  giving  a  flattering  account  of  its  progress, 
and  presented  them  a  vocabulary  and  grammar,  already 
printed  in  the  loway  language,  by  a  printing-press  be 
longing  to  the  missionary  school  in  their  country.  This 
surprised  them  very  much,  and  seemed  to  afford  them  great 
satisfaction. 

The  comments  of  the  press,  as  well  as  the  remarks  of  the 
public  who  had  seen  them,  now  being  made  upon  the 
superior  interest  of  this  party,  they  were  receiving  daily 
calls  from  distinguished  persons,  and  also  numerous  in 
vitations  to  gentlemen's  houses,  which  daily  increased  their 
consequence,  and,  of  course,  their  enjoyment.  Amongst  the 
first  of  these  kind  invitations  was  one  from  Mr.  Disraeli, 
M.P.,  for  the  whole  party  to  partake  of  a  breakfast  at  his 
house,  in  Park  Lane. 

This  was  for  the  next  morning  after  the  interview  just 
described ;  and,  not  knowing  or  even  being  able  to  imagine 
what  they  were  to  see,  or  what  sort  of  rules  or  etiquette 
they  were  to  be  subjected  to,  they  were  under  the  most 
restless  excitement  to  prepare  everything  for  it,  and  the 
greatest  anxiety  for  the  hour  to  approach.  They  were 


INDIANS'  TOILETTE  AND  DRESS.  43 

all  up  at  an  unusually  early  hour,  preparing  every  trinket 
and  every  article  of  dress,  and  spent  at  least  an  hour  at 
their  toilets  in  putting  the  paint  upon  their  faces.  The 
Doctor  had  been  told  that  he  would  sit  down  at  the  table 
amongst  many  very  splendid  ladies;  and  this,  or  some 
other  embarrassment,  had  caused  him  to  be  dissatisfied 
with  the  appearance  of  the  paint  which  he  had  put  upon 
his  face,  and  which  he  was  carefully  examining  with  his 
little  looking-glass.  He  decided  that  it  would  not  do,  and 
some  bear's  grease  and  a  piece  of  deer-skin  soon  removed 
it  all.  He  spent  another  half  hour  with  his  different  tints, 
carefully  laying  them  on  with  the  end  of  his  forefinger ; 
and,  displeased  again,  they  were  all  demolished  as  before. 
Alarm  about  time  now  vexed  him,  and  caused  him  to 
plaster  with  a  more  rapid  and  consequently  with  a  more 
"  masterly  touch."  The  effect  was  fine  !  He  was  ready, 
and  so  were  all  the  party,  from  head  to  foot.  All  their 
finest  was  on,  and  all  were  prepared  for  the  move,  when  I 
came  in  at  about  eight  o'clock  to  advise  them  of  the  hour 
at  which  we  were  to  go,  and  which  I  had  forgotten  to 
mention  to  them  the  evening  before.  I  then  referred  to 
the  note  of  invitation,  and  informed  them  that  the  hour  ap 
pointed  was  twelve  o'clock.  The  whole  party,  who  were  at 
that  time  upon  their  feet  around  me,  wrapped  in  their 
robes,  their  shields  and  quivers  slung,  and  the  choice  tints 
upon  their  faces  almost  too  carefully  arranged  to  be  exposed 
to  the  breath  of  the  dilapidating  wind,  expressed  a  decided 
shock  when  the  hour  of  twelve  was  mentioned.  They 
smiled,  and  evidently  thought  it  strange,  and  that  some 
mistake  had  been  made.  Their  conjectures  were  many  and 
curious  :  some  thought  it  was  dinner  that  was  meant,  instead 
of  breakfast ;  and  others  thought  so  late  an  hour  was 
fixed  that  they  might  get  their  own  breakfasts  out  of  the 
way,  and  then  give  the  Indians  theirs  by  themselves.  I 
answered,  "  No,  my  good  fellows,  it  is  just  the  reverse  of 
this ;  you  are  all  wrong — it  is  to  breakfast  that  you  are 
invited,  and  lest  their  family,  and  their  friends  whom  they 


44  THE  DOCTOR  AND  WASH-KA-MON-YA 

have  invited  to  meet  you,,  should  not  have  the  honour  of 
sitting  down  and  eating  with  you,  they  have  fixed  the  hour 
at  twelve  o'clock,  the  time  that  the  great  and  fashionable 
people  take  their  breakfasts.  You  must  have  your  break 
fasts  at  home  at  the  usual  hour,,  and  take  your  usual  drive 
before  you  go  ;  so  you  will  have  plenty  of  time  for  all,  and 
be  in  good  humour  when  you  go  there,  where  you  will  see 
many  fine  ladies  and  be  made  very  happy." 

My  remarks  opened  a  new  batch  of  difficulties  to  them 
that  I  had  not  apprehended,  some  of  which  were  exceedingly 
embarrassing.  To  wait  four  hours,  and  to  eat  and  to  ride 
in  the  meantime,  would  be  to  derange  the  streaks  of  paint 
and  also  to  soil  many  articles  of  dress  which  could  not  be 
put  on  excepting  on  very  particular  occasions.  To  take 
them  off  and  put  them  on,  and  to  go  through  the  vexations 
of  the  toilet  again,  at  eleven  o'clock,  was  what  several  of  the 
party  could  submit  to,  and  others  could  not.  As  to  the 
breakfast  of  huge  beefsteaks  and  coffee  which  was  just 
coming  up,  I  had  felt  no  apprehensions;  but  when  it  was  on 
the  table  I  learned  that  the  old  Doctor  and  Wash-ka-mon-ya 
and  one  or  two  others  of  the  young  men  were  adhering  to  a 
custom  of  their  country,  and  which,  in  iny  rusticity  (having 
been  seven  or  eight  years  out  of  Indian  life),  I  had  at  the 
moment  lost  sight  of. 

It  is  the  habit  in  their  country,  when  an  Indian  is 
invited  to  a  feast,  to  go  as  hungry  as  he  can,  so  as  to  be  as 
fashionable  as  possible,  by  eating  an  enormous  quantity, 
and  for  this  purpose  the  invitations  are  generally  extended 
some  time  beforehand,  paying  the  valued  compliment  to 
the  invited  guest  of  allowing  as  much  time  as  he  can  pos 
sibly  require  for  starving  himself  and  preparing  his  stomach 
by  tonics  taken  in  bitter  decoctions  of  medicinal  herbs.  In 
this  case  the  invitation  had  only  been  received  the  day 
before,  and  of  course  allowed  them  much  less  than  the 
usual  time  to  prepare  to  be  fashionable.  They  had,  how 
ever,  received  the  information  just  in  time  for  the  Doctor 
and  Wash-ka-mon-ya  and  the  Roman-nose  to  avoid  the 


FASTING  FOR  THE  OCCASION.  45 

annoyance  of  their  dinners  and  suppers  on  that  day,  and 
they  had  now  laid  themselves  aside  in  further  prepara 
tion  for  the  feast  in  which  they  were  to  be  candidates  for 
the  mastery  in  emptying  plates  and  handling  the  "  knife 
and  fork"  (or  "knife  and  fingers"),  the  custom  of  their 
country. 

In  this  condition,  the  Doctor  particularly  was  a  subject 
for  the  freshest  amusement,  or  for  the  profoundest  contem 
plation.  With  all  his  finery  and  his  trinkets  on,  and  his 
red  and  yellow  paint — with  his  shield,  and  bow  and  quiver 
lying  by  his  side,  he  was  straightened  upon  his  back,  with 
his  feet  crossed,  as  he  rested  in  a  corner  of  the  room  upon 
his  buffalo  robe,  which  was  spread  upon  the  floor.  His 
little  looking  glass,  which  was  always  suspended  from  his 
belt,  he  was  holding  in  his  hand,  as  he  was  still  arranging 
his  beautiful  feathers,  and  contemplating  the  patches  of  red 
and  yellow  paint,  and  the  tout  ensemble  of  the  pigments  and 
copper  colour  with  which  he  was  to  make  a  sensation  where 
he  was  going  to  feast  (as  he  had  been  told)  with  ladies,  an 
occurrence  not  known  in  the  annals  of  the  Indian  country. 
lie  had  resolved,  on  hearing  the  hour  was  twelve,  not  to  eat 
his  breakfast  (which  he  said  might  do  for  women  and  chil 
dren),  or  to  take  his  usual  ride  in  the  bus,  that  he  might 
not  injure  his  growing  appetite,  or  disturb  a  line  of  paint 
or  a  feather,  until  the  hour  had  arrived  for  the  honours  and 
the  luxuries  that  awaited  them. 

I  reasoned  awhile  with  these  three  epicures  of  the  land  of 
^buffaloes  tongues  and  beavers'  tails"  telling  them  that  they 
were  labouring  under  a  misconception  of  the  ideas  of  gen 
tility  as  entertained  in  the  civilized  and  fashionable  world; 
that  in  London,  the  genteel  people  practised  entirely  the 
opposite  mode  from  theirs  ;  that  light  dinners  and  light 
breakfasts  were  all  the  fashion,  and  the  less  a  lady  or  gen 
tleman  could  be  seen  eating,  the  more  sentimental  he  or 
she  was  considered,  and  consequently  the  more  transcend- 
ently  genteel :  and  that  when  they  went  to  breakfast  with 
their  friends  at  12,  or  to  dine  at  7  or  8,  they  were  generally 


46  THE  DOCTOR. 

in  the  habit  of  promoting  gentility  by  eating  a  little  at 
home  before  they  started. 

My  reasoning,  however,  had  no  other  effect  than  to  excite 
a  smile  from  the  Doctor,  and  the  very  philosophic  reply, 
"  that  they  should  prefer  to  adhere  to  their  own  custom 
until  they  got  to  the  lady's  house,  when  they  would  try  to 
conform  to  that  of  the  white  people  of  London."  The 
drollness  of  these  remarks  from  this  droll  old  gentleman 
entirely  prevented  Mr.  Melody  and  myself  from  intruding 
any  further  suggestions,  until  the  hour  arrived,  and  it  was 
announced  that  the  carriage  was  at  the  door. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Kind  reception  at  Mr.  Disraeli's — View  of  Hyde  Park  from  the  top  of 
his  house — Review  of  troops,  and  sham  fight — Breakfast-table — The 
Doctor  missing — The  Author  finds  him  in  the  bathing-room — Cham 
pagne  wine — Refused  by  the  Indians — Chickabobboo  :  Chippehola  tells 
the  story  of  it — The  Indians  drink — Presents — The  "  big  looking- 
glass  " — The  Doctor  smiles  in  it — Speech  of  the  War-chief — Shake  of 
hands,  and  return — Exhibition-room,  Egyptian  Hall — Doctor  presents  a 
string  of  wampum  and  the  "  White-feather  "  to  the  "  jolly  fat  dame  " — 

Indians  talk  about  chickabobboo — The  Rev.  Mr.  G calls — A  different 

religion  (a  Catholic) — Interview  appointed — Two  Methodist  clergymen 
call — Indians  refuse  to  see  them — The  giant  and  giantess  visit  the  In 
dians — The  Doctor  measuring  the  giantess — The  talk  with  the  Catholic 
clergyman. 

THIS  chapter  begins  with  the  introduction  of  the  loways  into 
fashionable  life,  through  the  various  phases  of  which  they 
had  the  good  or  bad  fortune  to  pass,  in  this  and  other 
countries,  as  will  be  seen,  before  they  returned  to  resume 
the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife  in  their  favourite  prairies, 
and  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  America. 

Mr.  Melody  and  myself  accompanied  the  Indians,  and 
all  together  were  put  down  at  the  door,  where  we  met  a 
host  of  waiters  in  livery,  ready  to  conduct  us  to  the  kind 
lady  and  gentleman,  whom  they  instantly  recollected  to 
have  seen  and  shaken  hands  with  in  the  exhibition  room. 
This  gave  them  confidence,  and  all  parties  were  made  easy 
in  a  moment,  by  a  general  introduction  which  followed. 
Through  the  interpreter,  the  ladies  complimented  them  for 
their  dances  and  songs,  which  they  had  heard,  and  pro 
nounced  to  be  very  wonderful.  Their  women  and  little 
children  were  kindly  treated  by  the  ladies,  and  seats  were 
prepared  for  them  to  sit  down.  The  men  were  also  desired 
to  be  seated,  but  on  looking  around  the  room,  upon  the 


48  KIND  RECEPTION  AT  MR.  DISRAELI'S. 

richness  of  its  furniture,  the  splendid  carpet  on  which  they 
stood,  and  the  crimson  velvet  of  the  cushioned  chairs  that 
were  behind  them,  they  smiled,  and  seemed  reluctant  to  sit 
upon  them,  for  fear  of  soiling  them.  They  were  at  length 
prevailed  upon  to  be  seated,  however,  and  after  a  little  con 
versation,  were  conducted  by  Mr.  Disraeli  through  the  dif 
ferent  apartments  of  his  house,  where  he  put  in  their  hands, 
and  explained  to  them,  much  to  their  gratification,  many 
curious  daggers,  sabres,  and  other  weapons  and  curiosities 
of  antiquity.  In  passing  through  the  dining  saloon,  they 
passed  the  table,  groaning  under  the  weight  of  its  costly 
plate  and  the  luxuries  which  were  prepared  for  them  ;  upon 
this  the  old  Doctor  smiled  as  he  passed  along,  and  he  even 
turned  his  head  to  smile  again  upon  it,  as  he  left  it. 

After  we  had  surveyed  all  below,  the  party  were  invited 
to  the  top  of  the  house,  and  Mr.  Disraeli  led  the  way.  The 
ladies,  of  whom  there  were  a  goodly  number,  all  followed ; 
and  altogether,  the  pictured  buffalo  robes — the  rouged 
heads  and  red  feathers — the  gaudy  silks,  and  bonnets,  and 
ribbons — glistening  lances  and  tomahawks — and  black  coats, 
formed  a  novel  group  for  the  gaze  of  the  multitude  who 
were  gathering  from  all  directions,  under  the  ever  exciting 
cry  of  "  Indians !  Indians  !  " 

Hyde  Park  was  under  our  eye,  and  from  our  position  we 
had  the  most  lovely  view  of  it  that  any  point  could  afford  ; 
and  also  of  the  drilling  of  troops,  and  the  sham-fight  in  the 
park,  which  was  going  on  under  our  full  view.  This  was 
exceedingly  exciting  and  amusing  to  the  Indians,  and  also 
the  extensive  look  we  had  in  turning  our  eyes  in  the  other 
direction,  over  the  city.  The  ladies  had  now  descended,  and 
we  all  followed  to  the  saloon,  where  it  was  soon  announced 
that  the  breakfast  was  ready  ;  and  in  a  few  moments  all  were 
seated  at  the  table,  excepting  the  Doctor,  who  was  not  to 
be  found.  Jeffrey  and  I  instantly  thought  of  his  "  propen 
sity"  and  went  to  the  house-top  for  him,  but  to  our  amaze 
ment  he  was  not  there.  In  descending  the  stairs,  however, 
and  observing  a  smoke  issuing  out  of  one  of  the  chambers, 


INDIANS  DRINKING  CHAMPAGNE.  49 

into  which  we  had  been  led,  on  going  up  to  examine  the 
beautiful  arrangement  for  vapour  and  shower  baths,  we 
stepped  in,  and  found  the  Doctor  seated  in  the  middle 
of  the  room,  where  he  had  lit  his  pipe,  and  was  taking  a 
more  deliberate  look  at  this  ingenious  contrivance,  which 
he  told  us  pleased  him  very  much,  and  which  he  has  often 
said  he  thought  would  be  a  good  mode  to  adopt  in  his 
practice  in  his  own  country.  He  was  easily  moved,  how 
ever,  when  it  was  announced  to  him  that  the  breakfast  was 
on  the  table  and  ready,  where  he  was  soon  seated  in  the 
chair  reserved  for  him. 

Great  pains  were  taken  by  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  to 
help  the  Indians  to  the  luxuries  they  might  like  best ;  and 
amongst  others  that  were  offered,  their  glasses  were  filled 
with  sparkling  champagne,  in  which  their  health  was  pro 
posed.  The  poor  fellows  looked  at  it,  and  shaking  their 
heads,  declined  it.  This  created  some  surprise,  upon  which 
Mr.  Melody  explained  for  them  that  they  had  pledged  their 
words  not  to  drink  spirituous  liquors  while  in  this  country. 
They  were  applauded  by  all  the  party  for  it,  and  at  the 
same  time  it  was  urged  that  this  was  only  a  light  wine, 
and  could  not  hurt  them  :  we  were  drinking  it  ourselves, 
and  the  ladies  were  drinking  it,  and  it  seemed  cruel  to 
deny  them.  Poor  Melody! — he  looked  distressed :  he  had 
a  good  heart,  and  loved  his  Indians,  but  he  felt  afraid  of 
the  results.  The  Doctor  and  WasU-ka-mon-ya  kept  their 
hands  upon  their  glasses,  and  their  eyes  upon  Melody  and 
myself,  evidently  understanding  something  of  the  debate 
that  was  going  on,  until  it  was  agreed  and  carried,  by  the 
ladies  and  all,  that  taking  a  little  champagne  would  not  be  a 
breach  of  their  promise  in  the  least,  and  that  it  would  do 
them  no  harm.  Their  health  and  success  were  then  proposed, 
and  all  their  glasses  were  drained  to  the  bottom  at  once. 

The  Doctor,  after  finding  the  bottom  of  his  glass, 
turned  round,  and  smacking  his  lips,  dropped  me  a  bow 
and  a  smile,  seeming  to  say  that  "he  was  thankful,  and 
that  the  wine  was  very  good." 

VOL.   II.  E 


50  CHICKABOBBOO. 

I  told  them  that  this  was  not  "fire-water"  as  they  could 
themselves  judge,  but  that  it  was  "  chickabobboo"  This 
word  seeming  to  them  to  be  an  Indian  word,  excited  their 
curiosity  somewhat,  and  being  called  upon  by  the  ladies  to 
explain  the  meaning  of  it,  as  they  did  not  recollect  to  have 
met  such  a  word  in  Johnson's  Dictionary  or  elsewhere,, 
I  related  to  them  the  story  of  chickabobboo,  as  told  by  the 
war-chief  of  the  Ojibbeways,  at  Windsor  Castle ;  and  the 
manner  in  which  those  Indians  partook  of  the  Queen's  wine, 
or  "  chickabobboo,"  as  they  called  it,  on  that  occasion. 

This  explanation  afforded  much  amusement  to  the  party, 
and  to  the  Indians  also,  as  Jeffrey  interpreted  it  to  them ; 
and  it  was  soon  proposed  that  their  glasses  should  be  filled 
again  with  chickabobboo.  The  Doctor  sat  next  to  me  at 
the  table,  and  every  time  he  emptied  his  glass  of  chickabobboo 
I  was  amused  to  hear  him  pronounce  the  word  "  good  !" — the 
first  word  of  English  he  had  learned,  and  the  first  occasion 
on  which  I  had  heard  him  sound  it.  After  the  wine  was 
first  poured  out,  he  had  kept  one  hand  around  his  glass  or 
by  the  side  of  it,  and  had  entirely  stopped  eating.  He  had 
minced  but  a  little  in  the  outset,  and  seeming  to  have  a 
delicate  stomach,  was  giving  great  pain  to  the  ladies  who 
were  helping  him  and  urging  him  to  eat,  in  his  irrevocable 
resolution  to  be  genteel,  as  he  had  before  suggested,  and  which 
they  probably  never  understood. 

The  last  dish  that  was  passed  around  the  table,  and 
relished  by  the  Indians  quite  as  much  as  the  chickabobboo, 
\vas  a  plate  of  trinkets  of  various  kinds,  of  brooches,  brace 
lets,  chains,  and  other  ornaments  for  their  persons,  which 
they  received  with  expressions  of  great  thankfulness  as 
they  were  rising  from  the  table.  Thus  ended  the  "  feast," 
as  they  called  it;  and  on  entering  the  drawing-room  the 
Doctor  became  a  source  of  much  amusement  to  the  ladies, 
as  his  attention  was  arrested  by  the  enormous  size  of  a 
mirror  that  was  before  him,  or  by  the  striking  effect  of  his 
own  beautiful  person,  which  he  saw  at  full  length  in  it.  He 
affected  to  look  only  at  the  frame,  as  the  ladies  accused  him 


SPEECH  OF  THE  WAR-CHIEF.  51 

of  vanity ;  and  he  drew  out  from  under  his  belt  his  little 
looking-glass,  about  an  inch  square,  imbedded  in  a  block 
of  deal  to  protect  it  from  breaking.  The  contrast  was 
striking  and  amusing,  but  what  followed  was  still  more 
so.  The  ladies  were  anxious  to  examine  his  looking-glass 
(which  was  fastened  to  his  person  with  a  leathern  thong),  and 
in  pulling  it  out,  there  necessarily  came  out  with  it,  attached 
to  the  same  thong,  a  little  wallet  carefully  rolled  up  in  a 
rattle-snake's  skin;  and  which.,  on  inquiry,  was  found  to 
be  his  toilet  of  pigments  of  various  colours,  with  which 
he  painted  his  face.  A  small  pair  of  scissors  also  formed 
a  necessary  appendage,  and  by  the  side  of  them  hung  a 
boar's  tusk  and  a  human  finger  shrivelled  and  dried. 
This  he  had  taken  from  a  victim  he  had  slam  in  battle, 
and  now  wore  as  his  " medicine"  or  talismanic  charm,  that 
was  to  guard  and  protect  him  in  all  times  of  trouble 
or  clanger.  This  remarkable  trophy  was  generally,  on 
occasions  when  he  was  in  full  dress,  suspended  from  his 
neck  by  a  cord,  and  hung  amongst  the  strings  of  wampum 
on  his  breast ;  but  on  this  occasion  he  had  so  many  other 
things  to  think  of,  that  he  had  forgotten  to  display  it  there. 
The  War-chief  at  this  time  preparing  his  mind  to 
make  some  remarks  before  leaving,  and  to  thank  the 
lady  for  her  kindness,  was  asking  "  if  he  should  give  any 
offence  by  lighting  his  pipe ;"  to  which  they  all  answered 
at  once,  "  No,  oh  no !  we  shall  be  glad  to  see  the  old 
chief  smoke  ;  get  him  some  fire  immediately."  When  the 
fire  arrived,  he  had  lighted  his  pipe  with  his  flint  and 
steel,  and  was  arranging  his  ideas  as  he  was  drawing  the 
smoke  through  its  long  stem.  It  amused  the  ladies  very 
much  to  see  him  smoke,  and  when  he  was  ready  he  passed 
the  pipe  into  White  Cloud's  hand,  and  rising,  and  throwing 
his  head  and  his  shoulders  back,  he  said  to  the  lady  that 
"  he  was  authorized  by  the  chief  to  return  to  her  and  her 
husband  his  thanks,  and  the  thanks  of  all  the  party,  for  the 
kindness  they  had  shown  them."  He  said  they  were  strangers 
in  the  country,  and  a  great  way  from  home,  and  this  would 

E2 


52  SHAKE  OF  HANDS,  AND  KETURN. 

make  them  more  thankful  for  the  kindness  they  had  met 
this  day. 

"  My  Friends  (said  he),  the  Great  Spirit  has  caused  your  hearts  to  be 
thus  kind  to  us,  and  we  hope  the  Great  Spirit  will  not  allow  us  to  forget  it. 
We  are  thankful  to  all  your  friends  whom  we  see  around  you  also,  and  we 
hope  the  Great  Spirit  will  be  kind  to  you  all. 

"  My  friend  the  chief  wishes  to  shake  hands  with  you  all>  and  then  we 
will  bid  you  farewell." 

The  kindest  wishes  were  expressed,  in  reply  to  the  old 
man's  remarks,  for  their  health  and  happiness  ;  and  after  a 
general  shaking  of  hands  we  took  leave,  and  our  omnibus, 
for  St.  James's  Street. 

The  usual  dinner  hour  of  the  Indians  was  just  at  hand 
when  they  returned,  which  was  a  joyful  occurrence  for 
the  Doctor,  who  had,  at  some  inconvenience,  been  endea 
vouring  to  practise  Indian  and  civilized  gentility  at  one  and 
the  same  time.  He  smiled  when  dinner  came  on,  and 
others  smiled  to  see  him  endeavouring  to  mend  the  breach 
that  had  been  made. 

The  excitements  of  this  day  had  put  the  Indians  in  re 
markably  good  humour  for  their  evening's  amusements  at 
the  Hall,  which  they  gave  to  a  crowded  house,  and,  as  usual, 
with  great  applause.  The  "jolly  fat  dame"  was  there  as 
she  had  promised,  still  admiring,  and  still  "  quite  miserable 
that  she  could  not  speak  to  them  in  their  own  language,  or 
something  that  they  could  understand."  Daniel  had  taken 
a  private  opportunity  to  tell  the  Doctor  the  whole  story 
of  her  attachment  to  Cadotte,  and  to  assure  him,  at  the 
same  time,  of  her  extraordinary  admiration  of  him,  the 
evidence  of  which  was,  that  "she  had  made  him  the  first 
present,  after  wrhich  all  others  were  mere  foils."  The 
Doctor  took  a  peculiar  liking  to  Daniel  from  that  moment, 
and  little  else  than  a  lasting  friendship  could  be  expected 
to  flow  from  such  a  foundation  as  was  then  so  kindly  laid. 
This  most  welcome  information  had  been  communicated  to 
the  Doctor's  ear  on  the  evening  previous,  and  he  had  now 
come  prepared  to  present  her  (with  his  own  hand,  and  the 


DOCTOR'S  PRESENT  TO  A  LADY.          53 

most  gracious  smile,  and  at  the  end  of  the  platform)  a  string 
of  wampum  from  his  own  neck,  and  a  white  feather  with  two 
spots  of  red  painted  on  it,  to  which  he  pointed  with  great 
energy,  and  some  expression  that  she  heard,  hut  did  not 
understand.  The  "fair  dame  "  held  her  exciting  present  in 
her  hand  during  the  evening,  with  some  little  occasional 
trepidation,  expecting  to  draw  from  Daniel  some  key  to 
the  meaning  of  the  mysterious  gift  as  she  was  leaving  the 
rooms.  This  hope  proved  vain,  however ;  for  Daniel, 
it  seems,  was  not  yet  deep  enough  in  Indian  mysteries  to 
answer  her  question,  and  she  carried  the  present  home,  with 
its  mysterious  meaning,  to  ruminate  upon  until  the  riddle 
could  be  solved. 

Mr.  Melody  and  I  visited  the  Indians  in  their  apartments 
that  evening  after  their  exhibition  was  over,  and  taking  a 
beefsteak  and  a  cup  of  coffee  with  them,  we  found  them 
still  in  high  glee,  and  in  good  humour  for  gossip,  which  ran 
chiefly  upon  the  immense  looking-glasses  they  had  seen 
(and  "  forgot  to  measure"),  and  the  chickabobboo,  which  they 
pronounced  to  be  first-rate  for  a  grand  feast,  which  it  would 
be  their  duty  to  get  up  in  a  few  days  to  thank  the  Great 
Spirit  for  leading  them  all  safe  over  the  ocean,  and  to  ensure 
their  safe  return  when  they  should  be  ready  to  go.  I  then 
told  them  of  the  kind  of  chickabobboo  that  the  Ojibbeways 
liked  very  much,  and  of  which  I  had  allowed  each  one 
glass  every  day  at  his  dinner,  and  also  at  night  after 
their  dances  were  done,  and  which  the  physicians  thought 
would  be  much  better  for  them  than  the  strong  coffee  they 
were  in  the  habit  of  drinking ;  that  I  had  talked  with 
Mr.  Melody  on  the  subject,  and  he  was  quite  willing, 
with  me,  that  they  should  have  it  in  the  same  way,  provided 
they  liked  it. 

"How,  how,  how!"  they  all  responded;  and  while  the 
servant  was  gone  for  a  jug  of  ale,  I  explained  to  them  that 
we  did  not  consider  that  this  was  breaking  their  solemn 
promise  made  to  us,  "  not  to  drink  spirituous  liquors"  I 
stated  to  them,  also,  that  it  was  possible  to  get  drunk  by 


54  A  CATHOLIC  PRIEST  VISITS  THE  INDIANS. 

drinking  chickabobboo ;  and  if  any  of  them  drank  so 
much  of  it  as  to  produce  that  effect,  we  should  con 
sider  it  the  same  as  if  they  had  got  drunk  by  drinking 
whiskey. 

The  ale  came  in  foaming,  and  being  passed  round,  they 
all  decided  that  "it  was  good,  but  not  quite  so  good  as  that 
the  kind  lady  gave  us  at  the  feast  to-day." 

These  evening  gossips  with  these  good-natured  fellows  in 
their  own  rooms,  after  their  day's  work  and  excitements 
were  over,  became  extremely  pleasing  to  me  ;  so  completely 
reviving  the  by-gone  pleasures  I  had  felt  in  whiling  away 
the  long  evenings  in  their  hospitable  wigwams,  when  I  was 
a  guest  in  their  remote  country,  amused  with  their  never- 
ending  fund  of  anecdotes  and  stories. 

On  the  next  morning,  or  the  day  after,  at  an  early  hour, 
Daniel  announced  to  the  Indians  that  there  was  a  reverend 
gentleman  in  the  sitting-room  who  wished  to  see  them  a 
little  while,  and  to  have  some  talk  with  them  if  possible. 
Daniel  had  taken  this  liberty,  as  he  had  heard  Mr.  Melody 
and  myself  say  that  we  should  feel  disposed  to  promote,  as 
far  as  we  could,  all  such  efforts.  The  Indians  had  not  yet 
had  their  breakfasts,  which  were  nearly  ready,  and  felt  a 
little  annoyed;  the  War-chief  observing  "that  they  had  had 
a  long  council  with  some  clergymen,  and  had  said  to  them  all 
they  had  to  say,  and  thought  this  gentleman  had  better  go 
and  see  and  talk  with  them  ;  and  another  thing,  as  he  be 
lieved  that  Chippehola  *  had  written  in  a  book  all  that  he 
and  the  clergymen  had  said,  he  thought  he  might  learn  it 
all  by  going  to  him." 

Daniel  whispered  to  him,  in  an  earnest  manner,  that 
"  this  was  a  Catholic  priest,  a  different  kind  of  religion  alto 
gether."  This  created  some  little  surprise  and  conversation 
around  the  room,  that  the  white  people  should  have  two 
kinds  of  religion  ;  and  it  was  at  last  agreed  that  the  War- 
chief  and  Jeffrey  should  step  into  the  other  room  a  few 

*  The  author. 


TWO  METHODIST  CLERGYMEN  CALL.  55 

minutes  and  see  him,  the  White  Cloud  saying  "he  did  not 
care  about  going  in." 

It.  seems  that  Jeffrey  took  some  interest  in  this  gentleman, 
as  the  little  that  his  ancestors  had  learned  of  religion  had 
been  taught  them  by  Roman  Catholic  clergymen,  who  have 
been  the  first  to  teach  the  Christian  religion  in  most  parts 
of  the  American  wilderness.  The  conversation  and  manner 
of  the  priest  also  made  some  impression  on  the  mind  of 
the  War- chief ;  and  as  they  heard  the  others  using  their 
knives  and  forks  in  the  adjoining  room,  they  took  leave  of 
the  reverend  gentleman,  agreeing  to  a  council  with  him  and 
a  number  of  his  friends  in  a  few  days.  White  Cloud  and 
Wash-ka-mon-ya  excited  much  laughter  and  amusement 
amongst  the  party,  on  learning  that  the  War-chief  had  ap 
pointed  another  council,  "  when  he  was  to  make  his  talk  all 
over  again."  They  told  him  "they  expected  to  take  him 
home  a  preacher,  to  preach  white  man's  religion  when  he 
got  back ;"  and  they  thought  he  had  better  get  a  "  black 
coat"  at  once,  and  be  called  "Black-coat  to  the  party  of  Ion:  ay 
Indians" 

The  next  day  after  the  above  interview,  Daniel  again 
announced  to  the  chiefs  and  Jeffrey  that  there  were  two 
reverend  gentlemen  waiting  to  see  them,  who  had  seen  Mr. 
Melody  on  the  subject,  and  were  to  meet  him  there  at  that 
hour.  White  Cloud  told  the  War-chief,  that  "  as  he  had 
promised  to  meet  them,  he  must  do  it ;  but  as  for  himself, 
he  would  rather  not  see  them,  for  he  was  not  well."  Wash- 
ka-mon-ya  laughed  at  the  old  chief  and  Jeffrey  as  they  went 
out.  "Now,"  said  he,  "for  your  grand  council!''  The 
War- chief  lit  his  long  pipe,  and  he  and  Jeffrey  entered  the 
room ;  but  finding  they  were  not  the  persons  whom  they 
were  expecting  to  meet,  they  had  a  few  words  of  conversa 
tion  with  them,  taking  care  not  to  approach  near  to  the 
subject  of  religion,  and  left  them,  as  they  had  some  other 
engagements  that  took  up  their  time. 

There  was  much  merriment  going  on  in  the  meantime  in 
the  Indians'  room,  and  many  jokes  ready  for  the  War-chief 


56  GIANT  AND  GIANTESS  VISIT  THE  INDIANS. 

and  Jeffrey  when  they  should  get  back,  as  Daniel  bad 
returned  to  their  room,  and  told  them  that,  by  the  cut  of 
their  clothes  and  their  manners,  he  was  quite  sure  that  these 
two  gentlemen  were  of  a  different  religion  still ;  he  believed 
they  were  Methodist  preachers. 

The  War-chief,  who  was  always  dignified  and  contem 
plative  in  his  manners,  and  yet  susceptible  of  good  humour 
and  jokes,  returned  to  the  Indians'  room  at  this  time, 
apparently  quite  insensible  to  the  mirth  and  the  remarks 
around  him,  as  he  learned  from  the  Indians,  and  got  the 
confirmation  from  Daniel,  that  this  was  the  third  kind  of 
religion,  and  that  there  were  the  Baptists,  the  Jews,  and 
several  other  kinds  yet  to  come.  He  seated  himself  on  his 
robe,  which  he  spread  upon  the  floor,  and  taking  out  of 
his  pouch  his  flint  and  steel,  and  spunk,  struck  a  light  in 
the  true  Indian  way  (though  there  was  fire  within  reach 
of  his  arm),  and,  lighting  his  pipe,  commenced  smoking. 
During  this  silent  operation  he  seemed  downcast,  and  in 
profound  meditation.  Mr.  Melody  and  I  entered  the  room 
at  this  moment,  but  seeing  the  mood  he  was  in,  did  nothing 
to  interrupt  the  train  of  his  thoughts.  When  his  pipe 
was  smoked  out,  he  charged  it  again  with  tobacco,  but 
before  lighting  it  he  laid  it  aside,  and  straightening  his 
long  limbs  upon  the  floor,  and  drawing  another  buffalo  robe 
over  his  body  and  his  head,  he  went  to  sleep.* 

This  was  the  day  for  "  seeing  the  Giants,"  and  they  were 
soon  after  announced  as  having  arrived,  according  to 
appointment.  During  one  of  the  Indians'  exhibitions  there 


*  Though  the  old  War-chief,  who  was  their  speaking  oracle  on  the  sub 
ject  of  religion,  remained  sad  and  contemplative,  there  was  daily  much  con 
versation  and  levity  amongst  the  rest  of  the  party  on  the  subject  of  the  "  six 
religions  of  white  men/'  which  they  had  discovered;  and  either  Jim  or  the 
little  "  commanding  general  "  (son  of  the  War-chief),  both  of  whom  were 
busy  with  their  pencils,  left  on  the  table  for  my  portfolio  the  subjoined  cu 
rious,  but  significant  illustration  of  their  ideas  of  white  man's  paradise,  and 
the  six  different  modes  of  getting  to  it.  Plate  No.  1 1  is  afac  simile  of  this 
curious  document,  which  the  reader  will  appreciate  on  examination. 


INDIANS  MEASURE  THE  GIANT.  57 

had  been  a  great  excitement  produced  amongst  them  by 
the  appearance  in  the  crowd,  of  two  immense  persons,  a 
man  and  a  woman,  who  stood  nearly  the  whole  length  of 
their  bodies  above  the  heads  of  others  about  them  !  This 
had  excited  the  amazement  of  the  Indians  so  much,  that  for 
a  while  they  stopped  their  dances,  to  sit  down  and  smoke  a 
pipe.  They  must  necessarily  make  some  sacrifice  on  such 
an  occasion,  and  it  was  decided  to  be  done  with  a  piece  of 
tobacco,  which  being  duly  consecrated  by  them,  was  carried 
by  the  Doctor  (the  medicine  man)  to  an  adjoining  room,,  and 
burned  in  the  fire. 

There  were  no  questions  asked  by  the  Indians  about 
these  unaccountable  people,  where  they  came  from,  &c.., 
but  they  wished  me  to  invite  them  to  call  at  their  lodgings 
at  No.  7,  St.  James's-street,  the  next  day  at  twelve  o'clock, 
where  they  would  be  glad  to  see  them  a  little  while.  This 
wish  was  communicated  to  them  in  a  note  which  I  wrote  on 
my  knee,  and  was  passed  to  them  over  the  heads  of  the 
audience  ;  the  giant  man  read  it,  and  smiling,  nodded  his 
head,  accepting  of  their  invitation.  This  pleased  the 
Indians,  who  all  joined  in  sounding  the  war-whoop.  These 
two  extraordinary  personages  proved  to  be  the  well-known 
"  Norfolk  giants,"  who  were  brother  and  sister,  and  walking 
"  arm-in-arm,"  so  high  that  the  eye  of  an  ordinary  man 
was  just  on  a  level  with  the  apron  string  of  the  fair  damsel; 
and  the  waist  of  the  brother  was,  of  course,  yet  some  inches 
higher.  I  regret  that  I  have  not  preserved  the  exact 
elevation  of  these  two  extraordinary  persons,  which  I  took 
pains  to  procure,  but  have  somehow  mislaid. 

The  invitation  thus  given  brought  them  on  their  present 
visit  to  the  Indians,  who  had  great  satisfaction  in  shaking 
their  hands,  and  closely  inspecting  them  :  and  not  many 
minutes  after  their  arrival  a  scene  ensued  that  would  have 
made  a  sick  man  laugh,  or  a  rich  subject  for  the  pencil  of 
Hogarth.  The  Indians  had  sent  Daniel  for  a  ball  of  twine, 
which  they  had  unfolded  upon  the  floor,  and  each  one 
having  cut  off  a  piece  of  sufficient  length,  was  taking  for 


58  THE  DOCTOR  MEASURES  THE  GIANTESS. 

himself  the  measure  of  the  "giant  man"  from  head  to  foot 
— from  hand  to  hand,  his  arms  extended — the  span  of  his 
waist — his  breast  and  his  legs — the  length  of  his  feet,  and 
his  fingers ;  and  tying  knots  in  their  cords  to  indicate  each 
proportion.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  the  Doctor  presented 
the  most  queer  and  laughable  point  in  the  picture,  as  he 
had  been  applying  his  string  to  the  back  of  the  fair  damsel, 
having  taken  her  length,  from  the  top  of  her  head  to  the 
floor,  and  tied  a  knot  in  his  cord  at  the  place  where  the 
waist  of  her  dress  intersected  it ;  he  had  then  arrested  the 
attention  of  all,  and  presented  his  singular  dilemma,  when 
he  stood  with  both  ends  of  his  cord  in  his  hands,  contem 
plating  the  enormous  waist  and  other  proportions  before 
him,  which  he  coveted  for  other  knots  on  his  string,  but 
which  his  strict  notions  of  gallantry  were  evidently  raising 
objections  to  his  taking.  I  whispered  to  him,  and  relieved 
him  from  his  distressing  state  of  uncertainty,  by  saying  I 
thought  he  had  been  particular  enough,  and  he  withdrew, 
but  with  a  sigh  of  evident  regret. 

They  insisted  on  the  giant  and  giantess  receiving  from 
them  some  little  keepsakes  of  trinkets,  &c.,  as  evidences 
of  the  pleasure  they  had  afforded  them  by  calling  on 
them. 

This  extraordinary  occurrence,  like  most  others  of  an 
exciting  or  interesting  nature  which  these  jovial  and  funny 
fellows  met  with,  made  subject  for  much  subsequent  anec 
dote  and  amusement.  Wash-ka-mon-ya  (the  fast  dancer), 
a  big-mouthed  and  waggish  sort  of  fellow  (who  for 
brevity's  sake  was  called,  in  English  parlance,  "Jim"),  was 
continually  teasing  the  Doctor  about  his  gallantry  amongst 
the  ladies ;  and  could  rather  easily  and  coolly  do  it,  as  he 
was  a  married  man,  and  had  his  wife  constantly  by  the  side 
of  him.  He  had  naturally  an  abundant  stock  of  wit  and 
good  humour,  and  being  so  much  of  a  wag  withal,  he  was 
rather  a  painful  companion  for  the  Doctor  all  the  way, 
and  was  frequently  passing  jokes  of  a  cruel  as  well 
as  of  a  light  and  amusing  kind  upon  him.  It  was  known 


TALK  WITH  THE  CATHOLIC  CLERGYMAN.  59 

to  the  whole  party  that  there  was  no  record  kept  of  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  giant  lady,  except  the  one  that 
the  Doctor  had  taken,  and  carefully  rolled  up  and  put  away 
in  a  little  box,  amongst  other  precious  things,  at  the  head 
of  his  bed,  and  which  he  generally  used  as  his  pillow.  It 
was  known  also  that  much  stress  would  be  laid  upon  this 
in  his  own  country,  when  they  returned  home,  as  something 
which  the  rest  of  the  party  could  not  produce,  and  which 
for  him,  therefore,  would  be  of  great  and  peculiar  interest 
there,  and  probably  on  other  occasions,  when  it  might  be 
proper  to  refer  to  it  as  a  thing  he  could  swear  to  as  a 
subject  of  interest  in  this  country.  Jim's  best  jokes  (like 
most  Indian  jokes)  were  those  which  no  one  else  takes  a 
share  in  ;  and  a  piece  of  the  twine  that  had  caught  his  eye 
as  it  was  lying  upon  the  floor,  probably  first  suggested  the 
wicked  idea  of  being  cut  about  two  feet  longer  than  the 
Doctor's  measure  of  the  fair  giantess,  and  with  a  knot  about 
one  foot  higher  than  the  one  made  for  her  waist,  and  of 
being  rolled  up  in  the  same  way,  and  slipped  (in  place  of  the 
other)  into  the  same  corner  of  the  box,  to  which  the  Doctor 
had  a  key,  but,  according  to  all  Indian  practice,  he  never 
made  use  of  it.  The  sequel  to  all  this,  and  the  fun  it  might 
have  subsequently  made  for  "Jim,"  with  his  "big  mouth," 
the  reader  may  as  well  imagine  here,  or  patiently  wait  till 
we  come  to  it. 

In  the  afternoon  the  Catholic  clergyman  called  with  a 
couple  of  friends,  for  the  interview  which  Jeffrey  and  the 
War-chief  had  promised.  Mr.  Melody  sent  me  word  when 
they  called,  and  I  came  to  the  meeting,  having  taken  a 
great  interest  in  these  interviews,  which  were  eliciting 
opinions  from  the  Indians  which  are  exceedingly  difficult  to 
obtain  in  any  other  way,  and  which  I  was  careful  on  all 
occasions  to  write  down,  as  translated  at  the  time.  These 
opinions,  however  unimportant  they  may  seem  to  be,  I  am 
sure  many  of  my  readers  will  find  to  be  of  curious  interest ; 
and  I  fully  believe,  if  rightly  appreciated,  of  much  impor- 


60  CATHOLIC  CLERGYMAN'S  REMARKS. 

tance  in  directing  future  efforts  to  the  right  points  in  en 
deavouring  to  impress  upon  these  ignorant  and  benighted 
people  the  importance  of  education,  and  a  knowledge  of  the 
true  Christian  religion. 

On  this  occasion  Wash-ka-mon-ya  (or  "  Jim"  as  I  shall 
often  call  him)  endeavoured  to  make  himself  conspicuous  by 
teasing  the  War-chief  and  Jeffrey  about  "  going  to  pray 
with  the  black-coats,"  and  springing  upon  his  feet,  took  his 
tomahawk  in  his  hand,  and  throwing  off  his  robe,  jumped  to 
the  middle  of  the  floor,  where,  naked  down  to  the  hips,  he 
landed,  in  an  attitude  not  unlike  that  of  the  colossal  statue 
of  Rhodes.  He  frowned  a  moment  upon  all  around  him, 
and  then  said,  "Let  me  go  in — I  have  said  nothing  yet ;  I 
want  to  make  a  speech  to  the  black-coats." 

White-cloud,  who  was  at  that  moment  taking  up  his  robe 
to  accompany  Jeffrey  and  the  War-chief  to  the  "  talk,"  very 
mildly  said  to  Jzra,  that  "he  would  look  much  more  re 
spectful  if  he  would  sit  down  again  and  hold  his  tongue,  for 
these  were  very  good  people  who  were  calling  to  talk  with 
them,  and  must  be  treated  with  respect,  however  their 
opinions  might  differ  from  those  of  the  Indians."  This 
severe  rebuke  from  the  chief  instantly  silenced  Jim,  who 
quietly  and  respectfully  joined  the  rest  of  the  party,  at 
White-cloud's  request,  who  seated  themselves  in  the  room 
where  the  talk  was  to  be  held.  The  pipe  was  lit  and  pass 
ing  around,  while  one  of  the  reverend  gentlemen  stated  the 
views  with  which  they  had  come  to  visit  them,,  and  asked 
the  Indians  if  it  was  perfectly  convenient  and  agreeable  for 
them  to  hear  what  they  had  to  say,  to  which  the  chief 
replied  in  the  affirmative.  The  reverend  gentleman  then 
proceeded  with  his  remarks  upon  the  importance  of  educa 
tion  and  religion,  the  nature  of  which  the  reader  can  easily 
imagine,  and  save  the  time  it  would  require  to  record  them 
here.  To  these  the  chiefs  and  all  the  party  (excepting  Jim 
and  the  Doctor,  who  had  fallen  asleep)  listened  with  patience 
and  profound  silence,  as  the  pipe  was  passing  around.  The 
reverend  gentleman  having  finished,  the  War-chief  took  a 


THE  WAR-CHIEFS  REPLY.  61 

few  deep-drawn  breaths  through  the  pipe,  and  passing  it 
along,  said — 

"My  Friends, — I  speak  for  the  chief  who  is  here,  and  not  very  well. 
My  words  are  his  words,  and  the  words  of  all  our  party.  We  have  heard 
what  you  had  to  say,  because  we  had  promised  to  do  so. 

"  My  Friends, — We  have  talked  many  times  on  this  subject,  and  some  of 
our  talks  have  been  long  ;  but  at  this  time  our  words  will  be  few,  for  we 
are  weary,  and  as  we  have  before  said,  we  are  poor,  and  our  wives  and  chil 
dren  are  hungry,  and  we  have  come  over  here  to  try  to  make  some  money 
to  get  them  warm  clothes  and  food  to  eat.  (How,  how,  how ! ) 

"  My  Friends, — Many  of  our  children  are  now  in  schools  in  our  country, 
and  the  '  good  book  '  which  is  in  your  hands  is  in  their  hands  at  this  time. 
We  believe  that  the  Great  Spirit  has  made  our  religion  good  and  sufficient 
for  us  if  we  do  not  in  any  way  offend  him.  We  see  the  religion  of  the  white 
people  dividing  into  many  paths,  and  we  cannot  believe  that  it  is  pleasing 
to  the  Great  Spirit.  The  Indians  have  but  one  road  in  their  religion,  and 
they  all  travel  in  that,  and  the  Great  Spirit  has  never  told  them  that  it  was 
not  right. 

u  My  Friends, — Our  ears  have  been  open  since  we  came  here,  and  the 
words  we  have  heard  are  friendly  and  good ;  but  we  see  so  many  kinds  of 
religion,  and  so  many  people  drunk  and  begging  when  we  ride  in  the  streets, 
that  we  are  a  little  more  afraid  of  white  man's  religion  than  we  were  before 
we  came  here. 

"  My  Friends, — The  Indians  occupied  all  the  fine  hunting  grounds  long 
before  the  white  men  came  to  them,  but  the  white  men  own  them  nearly 
all  now,  and  the  Indians'  hunting  grounds  are  mostly  all  gone.  The  In 
dians  never  urge  white  men  to  take  up  their  religion,  they  are  satisfied  to 
have  them  take  a  different  road,  for  the  Indians  wish  to  enjoy  their  hunting 
grounds  to  themselves  in  the  world  to  come.  (How,  hoiv,  how  /) 

"  My  Friends, — We  thank  you,  and  shall  wish  the  Great  Spirit  may  be 
kind  to  you.  I  have  no  more  to  say." 

Thus  ended  the  conversation  this  time,  and  the  Indians 
all  rising  (except  the  Doctor,  who  was  still  asleep)  shook 
hands  with  the  clergymen  and  retired  to  their  own  room. 

These  excellent  gentlemen  then  expressed  to  Mr.  Melody 
and  myself  their  high  admiration  and  respect  for  them  as 
men,  and  said  that  they  could  make  every  allowance  for 
them,  travelling  here  only  for  the  laudable  objects  which 
they  had  so  clearly  explained,  and  their  patience  taxed  in 
so  many  instances  as  I  had  mentioned,  of  a  similar  nature. 
They  agreed  that  it  would  be  cruel  to  urge  them  to  listen 


62  PRESENTS  BJ   THE  CLERGYMEN. 

any  further  under  their  present  circumstances,,  and  that 
they  had  already  exercised  far  greater  patience  than  white 
men  would  in  a  similar  condition.  They  said  they  should 
feel  bound  to  call  on  another  day  (and  did  so),  not  to  talk 
with  them  about  religion,  but  to  bring  them  some  presents 
that  would  be  serviceable  to  their  wives  and  little  children, 
and  took  leave. 


(     63 


CHAPTER  XX. 

The  Doctor  and  Jim  visit  several  churches — The  Indians  in  St.  Paul's — 
In  Westminster  Abbey — The  exhibition  at  the  Hall — The  Doctor  agrees 
to  go  in  the  carriage  of  the  "  jolly  fat  dame  " — Mr.  Melody  objects — 
The  Doctor's  melancholy — Indians  stop  the  bus  to  talk  with  Lascars — 
Make  them  presents  of  money — Indians  discover  cliickabobboo-ags  (gin- 
palaces) — and  ladies  lying  down  in  their  carriages  reading  books — Chim- 
e-gotch-ees  (or  fish) — Jim's  story  of  "  Fish  " — Experiments  in  mesmerism 
— Wash-ka-mon-ya  (Jim)  mesmerized — The  Doctor's  opinions  on  mes 
merism — loways  in  Lord's  Cricket-ground — Archery  and  ball-playing — 
Encampment — Wigwams — Indians  invited  by  Mrs.  Lawrence  to  Ealing 
Park — Their  kind  reception — Their  Royal  Highnesses  the  Duke  and 
Duchess  of  Cambridge — The  Princess  Mary — The  Duchess  of  Gloucester 
— The  Hereditary  Grand  Duke  and  Duchess,  and  other  distinguished 
guests — Amusements — Beautiful  grounds — Indians  dine  on  the  lawn — • 
Roast  beef  and  plum-pudding — Chickabobboo — Alarm  of  the  parrots — • 
Doctor's  superstition — Chickabobboo  explained — Speech  of  the  War- 
chief — Taking  leave — Fright  of  the  poor  birds — Handsome  presents — 
Conservatory — The  Doctor's  ideas  of  it — Indians  visit  Surrey  Zoological 
Gardens — Fright  of  the  birds  and  animals — Indians  sacrifice  tobacco  to 
the  lion  and  the  rattle-snakes. 

MR.  MELODY,  feeling  the  high  importance  of  the  charge  of 
these  fourteen  wild  people  intrusted  to  his  hands  by  the 
Government  while  they  were  to  see  the  sights  of  a  foreign 
country,  and  feeling  the  strongest  attachment  to  them  per 
sonally,  was  stimulated  to  e\7ery  exertion  by  which  he  could 
properly  open  their  eyes  to  the  benefits  of  civilization,  and 
consequently  was  inquiring  from  day  to  day  "what  shall 
be  shown  them  next  ?" 

I  had  also,  with  feelings  of  the  highest  respect  for  the 
chiefs  of  the  nation,  knowing  them  to  be  of  the  party, 
enlisted  my  warmest  exertions  in  their  behalf,  and  resolved 
to  render  them,,  in  all  ways  I  could,  the  aid  that  was  due 


64  DOCTOR  AND  JIM  VISIT  THE  "  SIGHTS." 

from  me  for  their  hospitality  which  benefited  me  when  1  was 
in  their  country. 

With  these  views  we  continued  our  omnibus  in  driving 
them  about  the  City  and  country,  and  one  or  the  other 
of  us  was  almost  daily  accompanying  them  to  some  in 
stitution  or  public  works  from  which  they  might  derive 
some  useful  information.  To  these  they  generally  went 
together  and  in  their  native  dresses,,  but  there  were  others 
where  their  costumes  and  their  paint  would  render  them 
too  conspicuous,  and  for  such  purposes  two  or  three  suits  of 
clothes,  beaver  hats  and  wigs,  became  necessary  for  such  a 
number  as  wished  at  any  time  to  look  further  (and  un 
observed)  into  the  arcana  and  hidden  mysteries  of  the  great 
metropolis.  And  the  reader  will  be  ready  to  exclaim 
with  me,  that  the  field  before  us  was  a  vast  and  bound 
less  one. 

The  two  most  ambitious  to  profit  by  such  adventures 
were  "  Jim "  (as  I  have  before  denominated  him)  and 
the  "  Doctor :"  the  first,  from  a  peculiar  faculty  he  had 
of  learning  the  English  language  (in  wrhich  he  was  making 
daily  progress),  and  a  consequent  insatiable  desire  to  see 
and  learn  the  modes,  and  everything  he  could,  of  white 
people,  excepting  their  religion ;  and  the  second,  from  an 
indomitable  desire  to  look  in  everywhere  and  upon  every 
thing,  more  for  the  pleasure  of  gratifying  a  momentary 
curiosity,  and  enjoying  a  temporary  smile,  than  from  any 
decided  ambition  to  carry  home  and  adopt  anything,  unless 
it  might  be  a  vapour-bath,  or  something  of  the  kind,  in  the 
way  of  his  profession. 

In  frock-coats  and  beaver  hats,  and  boots,  with  a  large 
stick  or  an  umbrella  under  the  arm,  and  the  paint  all 
washed  off,  there  was  not  much  in  the  looks  of  these  two 
new-fangled  gentlemen  to  attract  the  public  gaze  or  re 
mark  ;  and  consequently  little  in  the  way  of  the  sights 
and  treasures  of  London  being  opened  to  their  view. 

From  the  time  that  this  expedient  \vas  adopted,  our  avo 
cations  became  more  diversified  and  difficult;  our  anxieties 


THE  DOCTOR  AND  JIM  IN  DISGUISE.  65 

and  caves  increased,  and  with  them  our  amusement :  for 
with  Melody  the  sights  of  London  were  as  yet  prospective  ; 
and  with  me,  whether  old  or  new,  I  met  them  with  an  equal 
relish  with  my  unsophisticated  brethren  from  the  wilder 
ness. 

The  amusement  of  "  trying  on  "  and  "  getting  the  hang  " 
of  the  new  dresses  made  merriment  enough  for  the  party 
for  one  day ;  and  all  but  these  two  were  quite  willing  to 
forego  all  the  pleasures  they  could  afford.,  rather  than  cover 
their  cool  and  naked  heads  with  beaver  hats,  their  shoulders 
with  frock-coats,  and  substitute  for  their  soft  and  pliant 
mocassins  and  leggings  of  buckskin,  woollen  pantaloons  and 
high-heeled  boots.  The  two  wiseacres,  however,  who  had 
adopted  them  were  philosophers,  and  knew  that  they  were 
only  for  certain  occasions,  after  which  they  were  to  be 
dropped  off,  and  their  limbs  "  at  home  again  "  in  their  light 
and  easy  native  dresses.  They  were  obliged,  on  such  occa 
sions  (to  be  in  keeping),  to  leave  their  long  and  ornamented 
pipes  and  tomahawks  behind,  and  (not  to  lose  the  indis 
pensable  luxury  of  smoking)  to  carry  a  short  and  handy 
civilized  pipe,  with  their  tobacco,  and  a  box  of  lucifers,  in 
their  pockets. 

Reader,  pray  don't  try  to  imagine  what  a  figure  these 
two  copper-coloured  "swells"  cut,  when  they  first  sallied 
forth  in  their  new  attire,  for  it  will  be  in  vain  :  but  behold 
them  and  me,  in  the  future  pages  of  this  book,  and  when 
their  dresses  had  got  to  work  easy,  profiting  by  gazing 
upon  the  wonders  and  glories  of  civilization,  which  we 
never  otherwise  could  have  beheld  together. 

As  one  of  the  first  fruits  of  the  new  expedient  (and  while 
the  subject  was  fresh  and  revolving  in  the  minds  of  all), 
there  was  now  a  chance  of  gratifying  the  Doctor's  desire  to 
see  the  modes  and  places  of  worship  of  some  of  the  different 
denominations  of  religion,  of  which  he  had  heard  so  much, 
from  Daniel  and  others,  within  the  few  days  past.  These 
visits  were  their  first  attempts  in  their  assumed  characters, 
and  were  mostly  made  in  the  company  of  Mr.  Melody  or 

VOL.    II.  F 


G6    DOCTOR  AND  JIM  IN  CHURCHES  AND  CHAPELS. 

Jeffrey,  and  without  any  amusing  results  either  for  the 
congregations  or  the  loways,  save  an  incident  or  two,  such 
as  must  be  expected  in  the  first  experiments  with  all  great 
enterprises.  The  Doctor  had  been  told  that  when  he 
entered  the  Protestant  Church,  he  must  take  his  hat  off 
at  the  door,  and  had  practised  it  before  he  started  ;  but, 
seeing  such  an  immense  number  of  ladies,  he  had  unfortu 
nately  forgot  it,  and  being  reminded  of  it  when  he  had 
been  placed  in  his  seat,  his  wrig  came  off  with  it,  exposing, 
but  a  moment  however,  his  scalp-lock  and  the  top  of  his 
head,  where  he  had  not  deemed  it  necessary  to  wash  off 
the  red  paint. 

In  the  Methodist  chapel,  where  these  two  queer 
fellows  had  ventured  one  day  with  Daniel,  the  sermon 
was  long  and  tedious,  and  there  was  nothing  observed 
curious  excepting  a  blue  smoke  rolling  up  over  the  top 
of  the  pew,  where  the  Doctor's  pipe  had  been  lit, 
and  his  head  sunk  down  between  his  knees;  and  one 
other  occurrence,  that  afterwards  happened  in  the  heat  of 
the  exhortation  from  the  pulpit,  and  much  to  the  amuse 
ment  of  the  Doctor  and  Jim,  of  a  young  woman,  in  their 
immediate  vicinity,  who  began  to  groan,  then  to  sing, 
and  at  length  tumbled  down  from  her  seat  upon  the 
floor.  The  Doctor  thought  at  first  she  was  very  sick,  and 
wondered  there  was  no  physician  there  to  bleed  her ;  but 
when  Daniel  told  him  what  was  the  matter,  the  old  man 
smiled,  and  often  talked  about  it  afterwards. 

I  took  the  whole  party  through  Westminster  Abbey  and 
St.  Paul's,  where  they  stood  and  contemplated  in  amazement 
the  works  of  human  hands,  so  entirely  beyond  their  compre 
hension  that  they  returned  in  reserved  and  silent  contem 
plation. 

Returning  again  to  the  Exhibition-room  at  the  Egyptian 
Hall,  several  evenings  of  which  have  passed  by  without 
mention,  but  much  in  the  same  way,  we  find  the  same  ex 
citement  and  applause,  and  the  "jolly  fat  dame "  at  the 
end  of  the  platform,  nightly  receiving  the  Doctor's  impres- 


AUTHOR'S  INTERVIEW  WITH  LADIES.  G7 

sive  smiles,  which  are  constantly  ready  for  her  ;  and  which 
by  this  time,  aided  by  the  continued  coldness  of  the  Roman- 
nose,  were  making  visible  inroads  upon  her  tender  affections. 
She  had  had,  it  seemed,  on  this  evening,  some  conversation 
with  the  Doctor,  through  the  interpreter,  who  had  heretofore 
studiously  kept  out  of  the  way,  and  she  had  invited  the 
Doctor  to  ride  to  her  house  in  her  carriage,  after  the  exhi 
bition  was  over,  believing  that  he  would  be  able  to  find  in 
her  garden,  some  roots  which  he  was  in  great  distress  to  find, 
and  that  she  would  bring  him  home  again  safe.  Mr.  Melody 
objected  to  this,  which  seemed  to  puzzle  the  fair  dame,  and 
to  throw  the  Doctor  into  a  profound  melancholy  and  dejection. 
This  rebuff  from  Mr.  Melody  was  so  unexpected  and  so 
provoking,  when  she  had  so  nearly  accomplished  her  object, 
that  the  good  lady  passed  out  of  the  room  earlier  than  usual, 
and  tossed  her  head  about  with  her  ostrich  plumes  as  she 
passed  along  in  the  crowd,  without  having  the  heart  to  stop 
and  speak  a  few  words  to  Daniel,  as  she  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  doing.  Mr.  Melody  retired  with  the  Indians,  and 
I  remained  after  the  crowd  had  left,  at  the  solicitation  of  a 
party  of  ladies,  who  had  sent  me  their  card  and  wished  to 
see  me  after  the  exhibition  was  over.  The  room  being 
nearly  emptied,  I  saw  a  party  of  several  fashionably-dressed 
ladies  at  the  further  end  of  the  room,  examining  the  paint 
ings  on  the  walls.  In  advancing  towards  them,  the  one  who 
seemed  to  be  the  leader  of  the  party  turned  around  and 
exclaimed,  "  Oh,  here  comes  Mr.  Catlin,  I  believe  ?" 
"  Yes,  Madam,  I  am  Mr.  Catlin."  "  Oh,  I  am  so  happy 
to  have  the  honour  of  seeing  you,  Sir,  and  of  speak 
ing  to  you — you  have  made  all  these  paintings?  "  "  Yes." 
"  These  Indians  are  curious  fellows,  and  well  worth  seeing, 
but  I  consider  you  ten  times  more  of  a  curiosity.  Look 
here,  ladies,  here  's  Mr.  Catlin,  the  very  man  that  I  have  so 
often  told  you  about.  Dear  me,  what  dangers  and  hard 
ships  you  must  have  been  through  !  Oh,  I  do  think  you 
are  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world — and  not  a  grey  hair  in 
your  head  yet  !  My  dear  Sir,  I  know  your  whole  history — 

F2 


68  MAN  ON  ONE  LEG. 

you  'd  scarcely  believe  it — I  know  it  '  like  a  book,'  as  they 
say.  I  recollect  the  very  day  when  you  started  for  India, 
and  I  have  followed  you  the  whole  way — I  have  your  book 
—I  bought  several  copies  to  give  to  my  friends ;  I  have 
read  every  word  of  it  over  and  over  again — and,  oh  !  it's 
wonderful — it's  charming — one  can't  stop  in  it — there  's  no 
stopping  place  in  it.  By  the  way,  I  don't  suppose  you  were 
down  much  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Chusan  (I  've  got  a 
nephew  there — a  fine  fellow — he  's  a  surgeon).  I  suppose 
you  kept  pretty  much  back  in  the  mountains?  You  had 
no  object  in  coming  down  about  the  coast ;  and  they  have 
had  rather  hot  work  there."  "  No,  Madam,  I  had  not  the 
slightest  object  to  take  me  near  Chusan — I  kept  a  great  way 
back."  "  That  was  right ;  oh,  how  judicious  !  Oh,  I  have 
read  your  interesting  work  so  often.  By  the  way,  these 
fellows  are  not  from  the  coast  —they  are  from  a  great  way 
back,  I  dare  say?"  "Yes,  Madam,  they  are  a  great  way 
in  the  interior."  "  I  thought  so,  I  knew  so — I  can  tell, 
d'  ye  see — I  can  always  tell  a  coaster.  These  are  fine  men— 
they  grow  tea,  I  suppose,  though  ?  "  "  No,  these  people 
don't  grow  tea."  "Ah,  well,  it's  late,  we  won't  take  up 
your  time;  but  I  have  been  so  happy  to  have  seen  you— 
glad,  glad  to  see  you  home  alive  to  your  native  soil,  arid 
out  of  that  plagued  India.  Good  night."  "  Good  night, 
ladies." 

As  they  left  me,  I  turned  round,  and  met  a  poor  fellow 
approaching  me  on  one  leg  and  a  pair  of  crutches,  and  his 
wife  holding  on  to  his  arm.  He  said  he  had  been  waiting 
some  time  to  have  the  honour  of  speaking  to  me  before  he 
left,  having  heard  my  name  pronounced.  He  told  me  he 
lived  at  Woolwich,  where  he  held  some  situation  for  life,  as 
he  had  lost  his  leg  in  the  service  of  his  country,  and  it  was 
a  good  living  for  him,  luckily,  though  he  had  been  so  un 
fortunate  as  to  lose  his  leg. 

"  My  wife  and  I  (said  he)  ave  long  eard  of  this  extro'nary 
hexibition,  and  she  as  often  hax'd  me  to  come  to  see  it  ; 
and  though  we  ave  been  off  and  hon  about  it  a  great 


INDIANS  IN  HYDE  PARK.  69 

many  times,  we  never  got  off  together  until  this  hafter- 
noon — it's  a  wonderful  sight,  sir,  hand  we  are  appy  to  ave 
seen  you  halso." 

I  thanked  the  poor  fellow,  and  asked  him  how  he  lost  his  leg. 

"  It  was  done  by  the  kick  of  a  orse,  Sir." 

"  But  your  leg  has  been  taken  off  above  your  knee." 

"  Yes,  Sir,  the  bone  was  broken,  hand  it  ad  to  be  ham- 
putated." 

"  It  must  have  been  very  painful !  " 

"  Ah,  hit  urt  a  little  ;  though  as  for  the  pain  of  hampu- 
tation,  I  woudn't  give  a  penny  for  it :  but  the  loss  of  my  leg 
is  worth  a  great  deal  to  me ;  it's  hall  ealed  up  now,  Sir, 
though  it's  very  hunandy." 

This  simple  and  unfortunate  man  and  his  very  pretty 
little  wife  left  me,  and  I  repaired  to  the  Indians'  rooms  in 
St.  James's  Street,  where  I  found  them  finishing  their  sup 
pers  and  taking  their  chickabobboo.  Here  was  in  readiness 
a  long  catalogue  of  the  adventures  of  the  day — of  things 
they  had  seen  in  their  drive,  &c.,  to  be  talked  over,  as  well 
as  the  cruel  jokes  to  be  listened  to,  which  they  were  all 
passing  upon  the  poor  Doctor,  for  the  sudden  failure  of  his 
prospects  of  digging  roots  in  the  fair  dame's  garden. 

There  were  many  subjects  of  an  amusing  nature  talked 
over  by  these  droll  fellows  during  the  pipes  of  this  evening, 
and  one  of  the  themes  for  their  comments  was  the  drive 
which  we  had  given  them  in  two  open  carriages  through 
Hyde  Park,  at  the  fashionable  hour.  They  decided  that 
"  the  Park,  along  the  banks  of  the  Serpentine,  reminded 
them  of  the  prairies  on  the  shores  of  the  Skunk  and  the 
Cedar  rivers  in  their  own  country ;  and  in  fact,  that  some 
parts  of  it  were  almost  exactly  the  same."  They  were 
amused  to  see  many  of  the  ladies  lying  down  as  they  rode 
in  their  carriages  ;  and  also,  that  many  of  the  great  chiefs, 
pointed  out  to  them  riding  on  horseback,  "didn't  know  how 
to  ride — that  they  were  obliged  to  have  a  man  riding  a  little 
behind  them  to  pick  them  up  if  they  should  fall  off." 

Jim,  who  was  in  an  unusual  good  humour  this  evening, 


70  INDIANS  TALK  WITH  .LASCARS. 

either  from  the  effects  of  his  chickabobboo  or  from  some 
fine  present  he  might  have  received  in  the  room,  seemed 
to  be  the  chief  "  spokesman  "  for  the  evening,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  his  imagination  or  aiding  his  voice 
had  laid  himself  flat  upon  his  back  upon  his  robe,  which  was 
spread  upon  the  floor.  His  loquacity  was  such,  that  there 
was  little  else  for  any  of  us  to  do  than  sit  still  and  excessively 
laugh  at  the  dryness  of  his  jokes,  and  his  amusing  remarks 
upon  the  things  they  had  seen  as  they  were  taking  their 
ride  on  this  and  past  mornings.  He  had  now  got,  as  has 
been  said,  a  facility  of  using  occasional  words  of  English, 
and  he  brought  them  in  once  in  a  while  with  the  most 
amusing  effect. 

He  said  they  had  found  another  place  where  there  were 
two  more  Ojibbeway  Indians  (as  he  called  them),  Lascars, 
sweeping  the  streets ;  and  it  seems  that  after  passing  them 
they  had  ordered  their  bus  to  stop,  and  called  them  up  and 
shook  hands,  and  tried  to  talk  with  them.  They  could 
speak  a  few  words  in  English,  and  so  could  Jim :  he  was 
enabled  to  ask  them  if  they  were  Ojibbeways,  and  they  to 
answer,  "  No,  they  were  Mussulmen."  "  Where  you  live  ?  " 
"Bombay."  "  You  sweep  dirt  in  the  road?'1  "Yes." 
"  Dam  fool !  "  Jim  gathered  a  handful  of  pennies  and  gave 
them,  and  they  drove  off. 

It  seemed  that  in  their  drive  this  day,  Jim  and  the 
Doctor  had  both  rode  outside,  which  had  afforded  to  Jim 
the  opportunity  of  seeing  to  advantage,  for  the  first  time, 
the  immense  number  of  "  gin  palaces,"  as  they  passed  along 
the  streets ;  and  into  which  they  could  look  from  the  top  of 
the  bus.,  and  distinctly  see  the  great  number  of  large  kegs, 
and  what  was  going  on  inside.  The  Doctor  had  first  dis 
covered  them  in  his  numerous  outside  rides,  and  as  he 
was  not  quite  sure  that  he  had  rightly  understood  them, 
hearing  that  the  English  people  detested  drunkards  so 
much,  he  had  not  ventured  to  say  much  about  them.  He 
had  been  anxious  for  the  corroboration  of  Jim's  sharper 
eyes,  and  during  this  morning  they  had  fully  decided  that 


INDIANS  DISCOVER  GIN-PALACES.  71 

the  hundreds  of  such  places  they  were  in  all  directions  pass 
ing,  were  places  where  people  went  to  drink  chickabobboo, 
and  they  were  called  chickabobbooags.  The  conversation  of 
Jiin  and  the  Doctor  enlarged  very  much  on  this  grand  dis 
covery,  and  the  probable  effects  they  had  upon  the  London 
people.  They  had  seen  many  women,  and  some  of  them 
with  little  babies  in  their  arms,  standing  and  lying  around 
them,  and  they  were  quite  sure  that  some  of  those  women 
were  drunk.  Jim  said  that  he  and  the  Doctor  had  counted 
two  or  three  hundred  in  one  hour.  Some  of  the  party  told 
him  he  had  made  his  story  too  big,  so  he  said  he  and  the 
Doctor  next  day  would  mark  them  down  on  a  stick.  Jim 
said  there  was  one  street  they  came  through,  where  he 
hoped  they  would  never  drive  them  again,  for  it  made  their 
hearts  sore  to  see  so  many  women  and  little  children  all  in 
dirty  rags :  they  had  never  seen  any  Indians  in  the  wilder 
ness  half  so  poor,  and  looking  so  sick.  He  was  sure  they 
had  not  half  enough  to  eat.  He  said  he  thought  it  was 
wrong  to  send  missionaries  from  this  to  the  Indian* country, 
when  there  were  so  many  poor  creatures  here  who  want 
their  help,  and  so  many  thousands  as  they  saw  going  into 
the  chickabobbooags  to  drink  fire-water. 

He  said  they  came  through  a  very  grand  street,  where 
every  thing  looked  so  fine  and  splendid  in  the  windows,  and 
where  the  ladies  looked  so  beautiful  in  their  carriages, 
many  of  them  lying  quite  down,  and  seemed  as  if  they  were 
very  rich  and  happy  ;  and  some  of  them  lay  in  their  car 
riages,  that  were  standing  still,  so  as  to  let  them  read  their 
books.  And  in  this  same  grand  street  they  saw  a  great  many 
fine-looking  ladies  walking  along  the  sides  of  the  roads,  and 
looking  back  at  the  gentlemen  as  they  passed  by  them. 
These  ladies,  he  and  the  Doctor  observed,  looked  young, 
and  all  looked  very  smiling,  and  they  thought  they  wanted 
husbands.  A  great  deal,  Jim  said,  they  had  seen  of  these 
ladies  as  they  were  every  day  looking  out  of  their  own 
windows  in  St.  James's  Street.  A  great  many  of  these 
women,  he  said,  behave  very  curious;  he  said  he  didn't 


72  JIM'S  STORY  OF  "  FISH." 

know  for  certain  but  some  of  these  might  be  chimegotclies. 
This  excited  a  tremendous  laugh  with  the  Doctor  and 
several  of  the  young  men,  and  made  some  of  the  women 
smile,  though  it  was  rather  hushed  by  the  chiefs  as  an  im 
prudent  word  for  Jim  to  apply  in  the  present  case.  This 
did  little,  however,  to  arrest  the  effects  of  Jim's  joke,  and 
he  continued  with  some  further  ingenious  embellishments, 
which  set  the  chiefs  into  a  roar,  and  Jim  then  kept  the 
field.  Melody  and  myself  laughed  also,  not  at  the  joke,  for 
we  did  not  understand  it,  but  at  their  amusement,  which 
seemed  to  be  very  great,  and  led  us  to  inquire  the  meaning 
of  cliimegotches.  "  Fish,"  said  Jim,  "  fish  !  "  We  were  still  at 
a  loss  for  the  meaning  of  his  joke  ;  and  our  ignorance  being- 
discovered,  as  well  as  our  anxiety  to  know,  they  proposed 
that  Jim  should  relate  the  story  of  Chimegotclies^  or  "  Fish." 
Some  one  was  charging  and  lighting  the  pipe  in  the  mean 
time,  which  was  handed  to  him,  as  he  rose  and  took  a 
whiff  or  two,  and  then,  resuming  his  former  position,  flat 
upon  his  back,  he  commenced — 

"  When  the  great  Mississippi  river  was  a  young  and  beautiful  stream,  and 
its  waters  were  blue  and  clear,  and  the  loways  lived  on  its  banks,  more 
than  a  thousand  snows  since,  Net-no-qua,  a  young  man  of  great  beauty,  and 
son  of  a  great  chief,  complained  that  he  was  sick.  His  appetite  left  him, 
and  his  sleep  was  not  good.  His  eyes,  which  had  been  like  those  of  the 
war-eagle,  grew  soft  and  dim,  and  sunk  deep  in  his  head.  His  lips,  that  had 
been  the  music  for  all  about  him,  had  become  silent;  his  breast,  that  had 
always  been  calm,  was  beating,  and  deep  sighs  showed  that  something  was 
wrong  within.  O-za-pa,  whose  medicine  was  great,  and  to  whom  all  the 
plants  and  roots  of  the  prairies  were  known,  was  quite  lost;  he  tried  all,  and 
all  was  in  vain  ;  the  fair  son  of  the  chief  was  wasting  away,  as  each  sweet 
breath  that  he  breathed  went  oft'  upon  the  winds,  and  never  came  back  to 
him.  Thus  did  Net-no-qua,  the  son  of  Ti-ah-ka,  pine  away.  The  medi 
cine  man  tolH  him  at  last  that  there  was  but  one  thing  that  could  cure  him, 
and  that  was  attended  with  great  danger.  In  his  dream  a  small  prairie 
snake  had  got  upon  a  bush,  and  its  light,  which  was  that  of  the  sun,  opened 
his  eyes  to  its  brightness,  and  his  ears  to  its  words :  '  The  son  of  Ti-ah-ka 
grieves — this  must  not  be — his  breast  must  be  quiet,  and  his  thoughts  like 
the  quiet  waters  of  the  gliding  brook  ;  the  son  of  Ti-ah-ka  will  grow  like 
the  firm  rocks  of  the  mountain,  and  the  chiefs  and  warriors,  who  will  de 
scend  from  him,  will  grow  like  the  branches  of  the  spreading  oak.'  The 


JIM'S  STORY  OF  "  FISH."  73 

medicine  man  said  to  the  son  of  Ti-ah-ka  that  he  must  now  take  a  small 
piece  of  the  flesh  from  his  side  for  his  bait,  and  in  a  certain  cove  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  the  first  fish  that  he  caught  was  to  be  brought  to  his  wig 
wam  alone,  under  his  robe,  and  she,  whose  blood  would  become  warm,  would 
be  to  him  like  the  vine  that  clings  around  arid  through  the  branches  of  the 
oak ;  that  then  his  eyes  would  soon  shine  again  like  those  of  the  eagle  ;  the 
music  of  his  lips  would  soon  return,  and  his  troubled  breast  would  again  be 
come  calm,  his  appetite  would  be  good,  and  his  sleep  would  be  sweet  and 
quiet  like  that  of  a  babe. 

"  Net-no-qua  stood  upon  a  rock,  and  when  the  hook,  with  a  piece  of  his 
side,  lay  upon  the  water,  the  parting  hair  of  Lin-ta  (the  river-born)  was 
seen  floating  on  the  water,  and  its  black  and  oily  tresses  were  glistening  in 
the  sun  as  the  water  glided  off'  from  them  ;  and  her  lips  were  opening  to 
enclose  the  fatal  hook  that  raised  her  beautiful  breasts  above  the  water. 
Her  round  and  delicate  arms  shone  bright  with  their  beauty  as  she  extended 
them  to  the  shore,  and  the  river  shed  its  tears  over  her  skin  as  her  beauti 
ful  waist  glided  through  its  surface,  above  which  the  strong  and  manly  arm 
of  Net-no-qua  was  gently  raising  her.  The  weeping  waves  in  sparkling 
circles  clung  around  her  swelling  hips  and  pressing  knees,  until  the  folding 
robe  of  the  son  of  Ti-ah-ka  was  over  the  wave  and  around  her  bending 
form.  One  hand  still  held  her  slim  and  tapering  fingers,  and  with  the  other 
he  encompassed  her  trembling  form,  as  their  equal  steps  took  them  from 
the  shore  and  brought  them  to  the  wig-warn  of  Net-no-qua.  His  silent 
house  was  closed  from  the  footsteps  of  the  world  ;  her  delicate  arms  clung 
around  the  neck  of  the  son  of  the  chief,  and  her  black  and  glossy  tresses  fell 
over  and  around  his  naked  shoulders  and  mingled  with  his  own.  The  same 
robe  embraced  them  both,  and  her  breath  was  purer  than  the  blue  waves 
from  which  she  came.  Their  sleep  was  like  the  dreams  of  the  antelope, 
arid  they  awoke  as  the  wild  rose-buds  open  amidst  the  morning  dew  ;  the 
breast  of  Net-no-qua  was  calm,  his  eyes  were  again  like  the  eyes  of  the 
eagle,  his  appetite  was  keen,  and  his  lips  sounded  their  music  in  the  ears 
of  Lin-ta.  She  was  lovely,  she  was  the  wife  of  the  son  of  the  chief,  and 
like  the  vine  that  clings  around  and  through  the  branches  of  the  oak,  did 
she  cling  to  Net-no-qua.  They  were  happy,  and  many  have  been  the  de 
scendants  that  have  sprung  from  the  dreams  of  the  son  of  Ti-ah-ka  and 
the  beautiful  Lin-ta  (the  river-born). 

"  O-ne-ak'n  was  the  brother  of  Net-no-qua,  and  Di-ag-gon  was  his  cou 
sin  ;  and  they  were  sick  ;  and  they  sat  upon  the  rock  in  the  cove  in  the 
river;  and  the  two  sisters  of  Lin-ta  shone  as  they  lifted  their  graceful  forms 
above  the  wave,  and  their  beautiful  locks  spread  as  they  floated  on  the  sur 
face.  The  two  young  warriors  sighed  as  they  gazed  upon  them.  The  two 
sisters  embraced  each  other  as  they  glided  through  and  above  the  waves. 
They  rose  to  full  view,  and  had  no  shame.  The  river  '  shed  no  tears,  nor 
did  the  sparkling  waves  hang  in  circles  about  their  swelling  hips  and  press 
ing  knees  ;'  and  as  they  sank,  they  beckoned  the  t\vo  young  warriors,  who 
followed  them  to  their  water-bound  caves.  They  stole  back  in  the  morning, 


74  JIM'S  STORY  OF  "FISH." 

and  were  ashamed  and  sick.  Their  tongues  were  not  silent,  and  others 
went.  The  two  sisters  again  showed  their  lovely  forms  as  they  glided  above 
the  water,  and  they  beckoned  all  who  came  to  their  hidden  caves,  arid  all 
came  home  in  the  morning  sick  and  sad,  while  every  morning  saw  the  son 
of  the  chief  and  his  river-born  Lin-ta  calm  and  bright  as  the  rising  sun. 
Shame  and  fear  they  knew  not,  but  all  was  love  and  happiness  with  them  ; 
very  different  were  the  sisters  of  Lin-ta,  who  at  length  ventured  from  their 
caves  at  night,  and  strolled  through  the  village  ;  they  were  hidden  again  at 
the  return  of  the  light.  Their  caves  were  the  resorts  of  the  young  men, 
but  the  fair  daughters  of  Lin-ta  knew  them  not. 

"Such  was  the  story  of  Lin-ta  (the  river-born)  ;  she  was  the  loved  of  her 
husband,  and  the  virtuous  mother  of  her  children.  Her  beautiful  sisters 
were  the  loved  of  all  men,  but  had  no  offspring.  They  live  in  their  hidden 
caves  to  this  day,  and  sometimes  in  the  day  as  well  as  in  the  night  are  seen 
walking  through  the  village,  though  all  the  Indians  call  them  Chim-ce- 
gotch-es,  that  is,  Cold-bloods,  or  Fish." 

Jim  got  a  round  of  applause  for  his  story,  though  the 
Doctor  thought  he  had  left  out  some  of  the  most  essential 
and  funny  parts  of  it.  Jim,  however,  seemed  well  content 
with  the  manner  in  which  it  was  received,  and  continued  to 
remark  that  he  and  the  Doctor  had  come  to  the  con 
clusion  that  those  beautiful  young  women,  that  they  saw 
looking  back  at  the  gentlemen  in  the  streets,  as  well  as 
those  who  were  standing  in  front  of  their  windows,  and  bow 
ing  to  them,  and  kissing  their  hands  every  day,  must  be 
"  fish  ; "  and  that  in  the  great  village  of  London,  where  so 
much  chickabobboo  is  drunk,  there  must  be  a  great  number 
of  "  fish."  And  they  thought  also  that  some  of  these  they 
had  seen  in  the  Egyptian  Hall  when  they  were  giving 
their  dances. 

The  above  and  other  critiques  of  Jim  upon  London  modes 
seemed  to  the  chiefs  to  be  rather  too  bold,  and  an  impolitic 
position  for  Jim  to  take;  and  whilst  their  reprimands  were 
being  passed  upon  him,  the  train  of  humour  he  had  hap 
pened  to  get  into  on  that  night  turned  all  their  remarks 
into  jokes,  and  they  were  obliged  to  join  in  the  irresistible 
merriment  he  produced  on  this  occasion,  merely  from  his 
having  taken  (as  his  wife  had  refused  it  on  this  evening, 
as  it  was  just  now  discovered)  the  additional  mug  of  his 
wife's  chickabobboo. 


EXPERIMENTS  IN  MESMERISM.  75 

Much  merriment  was  produced  amongst  the  Indians 
about  this  time  by  an  appointment  that  had  been  made  to 
see  some  experiments  in  mesmerism,  to  be  performed  by 
a  Dr.  M—  -  at  the  Indians'  rooms.  The  Doctor  was 
received  at  the  appointed  hour,  and  brought  with  him  a 
feeble  and  pale-looking  girl  of  14  or  15  years  of  age  to 
operate  upon.  This  had  taken  the  Indians  rather  by  sur 
prise,  as  no  one  had  fully  explained  the  nature  of  the 
operations  to  them.  1  got  Jeffrey,  however,  to  translate 
to  them,  as  near  as  he  could,  the  nature  of  this  extraordi 
nary  discovery,  and  the  effects  it  was  to  produce ;  and  the 
doors  being  closed,  and  the  young  woman  placed  in  a  chair, 
the  mesmeriser  commenced  his  mysterious  operations.  I 
had  instructed  the  Indians  to  remain  perfectly  still  and 
not  to  laugh,  lest  they  might  hinder  the  operator,  and  pre 
vent  the  desired  effect.  With  one  knee  upon  the  floor,  in 
front  of  her,  and  placing  both  of  his  extended  thumbs  (with 
his  hands  clenched)  just  in  front  of  her  two  eyebrows,  he 
looked  her  steadily  in  the  face.  This  eccentric  position  and 
expression  disposed  Jim  to  laugh,  and  though  he  covered  his 
huge  mouth  with  his  hand,  and  made  no  noise,  still  the 
irresistible  convulsions  in  his  fat  sides  shook  the  floor  we 
were  standing  on ;  and  the  old  Doctor  at  the  same  time, 
equally  amused,  was  liable  to  do  less  harm,  for  all  his 
smiles  and  laughter,  however  excessive,  were  produced  by 
the  curious  machinery  of  his  face,  and  never  extended 
further  down  than  the  chin  or  clavicles.  The  little  patient, 
however,  was  seen  in  a  few  minutes  to  be  going  to  sleep, 
and  at  length  fell  back  in  the  chair,  in  the  desired  state  of 
somnambulism.  The  operator  then,  by  mesmeric  influences, 
opened  her  eyes,  without  touching  them,  and  without  waking 
her,  and  by  the  same  influence  closed  them  again.  In 
the  same  way  he  caused  her  hand  to  close,  and  none  of 
us  could  open  it.  Here  our  Doctor,  who  tried  it,  was 
quite  at  a  stand.  He  saw  the  fingers  of  the  operator 
pass  several  times  in  front  of  it,  and  its  muscles  relaxed — it 
opened  of  itself.  He  then  brought,  by  the  same  influence, 


76  JIM  MESMERISED. 

her  left  arm  to  her  breast,  and  then  the  right,  and  chal 
lenged  the  strength  of  any  one  in  the  room  to  unbend  them. 
This  was  tried  by  several  of  us,  but  in  vain  ;  and  when  his 
fingers  were  passed  a  few  times  lightly  over  them,  they 
were  relaxed  and  returned  to  their  former  positions.  By 
this  time  the  Indian  women,  with  their  hands  over  their 
mouths,  began  to  groan,  and  soon  left  the  room  in  great 
distress  of  mind.  The  chiefs,  however,  and  the  Doctor  and 
Jim,  remained  until  the  experiments  were  all  tried,  and 
with  unaccountable  success.  The  operator  then,  by  passing 
his  fingers  a  few  times  over  the  forehead  of  his  patient, 
brought  her  gradually  to  her  senses,  and  the  exhibition 
ended.  The  convulsions  of  Jim's  broad  sides  were  now  all 
tempered  down  into  cool  quiet,  and  the  knowing  smiles  of 
the  old  Doctor  had  all  run  entirely  off  from,  and  out  of,  the 
furrows  of  his  face,  and  a  sort  of  painful  study  seemed  to 
be  contracting  the  rigid  muscles  that  were  gathering  over 
them. 

The  chiefs  pronounced  the  unaccountable  operation  to  be 
the  greatest  of  medicine,  and  themselves  quite  satisfied,  as 
they  retired ;  but  the  old  Doctor,  not  yet  quite  sure,  and 
most  likely  thinking  it  a  good  thing  for  his  adoption  among 
the  mysteries  of  his  profession  in  his  own  country,  was  dis 
posed  to  remain,  with  his  untiring  companion  Jim,  until 
some  clue  could  be  got  to  this  mystery  of  mysteries.  With 
this  view  he  had  the  curiosity  of  feeling  the  little  girl's 
pulse,  of  examining  and  smelling  the  operator's  fingers,  &c., 
and  of  inquiring  whether  this  thing  could  be  done  by  any 
others  hut  himself;  to  which  I  replied,  that  it  was  now  being 
done  by  hundreds  all  through  the  country,  and  was  no  secret. 
The  charm  had  then  fled — it  had  lost  all  its  value  to  the  old 
Doctor.  The  deep  thoughts  ceased  to  plough  his  wrinkled 
face,  and  his  self-sufficient,  happy  smiles  were  again  playing 
upon  his  front.  His  views  were  evidently  changed.  Jim 
caught  the  current  of  his  feelings,  and  amusement  was  their 
next  theme.  The  old  Doctor  "  thought  that  Jim  could 
easily  be  frightened,"  and  would  be  a  good  subject.  It 


N9   12. 


DOCTOR'S  OPINIONS  ON  MESMERISM.  77 

was  proposed  that  Jim  should  therefore  take  the  chair,  and 
it  was  soon  announced  to  the  squaws,  and  amongst  them  to 
his  wife,  that  Jim  had  gone  to  sleep,  and  was  mesmerised. 
They  all  flew  to  the  room,  which  upset  the  gravity  of  his 
broad  mouth,  and,  with  its  movements,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  the  whole  bearing  of  his  face ;  and  the  operator's 
lingers  being  withdrawn  from  his  nose,  he  left  the  chair 
amidst  a  roar  of  laughter.  It  was  then  proposed  that  the 
old  Doctor  should  sit  down  and  be  tried,  but  he  resisted 
the  invitation,  on  the  grounds  of  the  dignity  of  his  profession, 
which  he  got  me  to  explain  to  the  medical  man,  whom  he 
was  now  evidently  disposed  to  treat  rather  sarcastically,  and 
his  wonderful  performance  as  a  piece  of  extraordinary 
juggling,  or,  at  least,  as  divested  of  its  supposed  greatest 
interest,  that  of  novelty.  He  told  him  "  that  there  was 
nothing  new  or  very  wonderful  in  the  operation,  that  he 
could  discover;  it  was  no  more  than  the  charm  which  the 
snakes  used  to  catch  birds ;  and  tho  more  frightful  and 
ugly  a  man's  face  was,,  the  better  he  could  succeed  in  it. 
He  had  no  doubt  but  many  ill-looking  men  amongst  white 
people  would  use  it  as  a  mode  of  catching  pretty  girls, 
which  they  could  not  otherwise  do,  and  therefore  it  \vould 
be  called  amongst  white  people  a  very  useful  thing." 

"  All  the  medicine-men  (said  he)  in  the  Indian  country 
have  known  for  many  years  how  to  do  the  same  thing,  and 
what  the  white  people  know  of  it  at  this  time  they  have 
learned  from  the  Indians ;  but  I  see  that  they  don't  yet 
half  know  how  to  do  it;  that  he  had  brought  a  medicine  dress 
all  the  way  with  him  for  the  very  purpose,  and  if  the  mes- 
meriser  would  come  the  next  morning  at  9  o'clock,  he 
should  see  him  with  it  on,  and  he  would  engage  to  frighten 
any  white  lady  to  sleep  in  five  minutes  who  would  take  a 
good  look  at  him  without  winking  or  laughing."  The  mes- 
meriser  did  not  come,  though  the  Doctor  was  on  the  spot 
and  ready.  (Plate  No.  12.) 

An  event  which  they  had  long  been  looking  for  with 
great  solicitude  took  place  about  this  time — the  prorogation 


78  INDIANS  SEE  THE  QUEEN. 

of  Parliament,  which  afforded  the  poor  fellows  their  only 
opportunity  of  seeing  the  Queen.  They  were  driven  off  in 
good  season  in  their  bus,  and  succeeded  in  getting  the 
most  favourable  view  of  the  Queen  and  the  Prince  as  they 
were  passing  in  the  state-carriage;  and,  to  use  their  own 
words  for  it,  "  The  little  Queen  and  the  Prince  both  put 
their  faces  quite  out  of  their  carriage  of  gold  to  look  at  us 
and  bow  to  us.'*  There  is  no  doubt  but  by  the  kindness  of 
the  police  they  were  indulged  in  a  favourable  position  and 
had  a  very  satisfactory  view  of  Her  Majesty  the  Queen,  and 
it  is  equally  certain  that  they  will  never  cease  to  speak  of 
the  splendour  of  the  effect  of  the  grand  pageant  as  long  as 
they  live. 

The  nightly  excitements  and  amusements  going  on  at  the 
Egyptian  Hall  were  increasing  the  public  anxiety  to  see 
these  curious  people  more  at  large,  and  we  resolved  to 
procure  some  suitable  ground  for  the  purpose,  where  their 
active  limbs  could  be  seen  in  full  motion  in  the  open  air,  as 
they  are  seen  on  their  native  prairies  with  their  ball- sticks, 
in  their  favourite  game  of  the  ball,  and  the  use  of  their 
bows  and  arrows,  all  of  which  they  had  brought  with  them, 
but  could  not  use  in  their  amusements  at  the  Hall.  Their 
dances,  &c.,  were,  however,  to  be  kept  up  as  usual,  at 
night ;  and  for  their  afternoon  exercises  in  the  open  air,  an 
arrangement  was  made  for  the  use  of  "  Lord's  Cricket 
Ground,"  and  on  that  beautiful  field  (prairie,  as  they  called 
it)  they  amused  thousands,  daily,  by  their  dances,  archery, 
and  ball-playing.*  For  this  purpose  an  area  of  an  acre  or 

*  This  is,  undoubtedly,  the  favourite  and  most  rnanly  and  exciting  game 
of  the  North  American  Indians,  and  often  played  by  three  or  lour  hundred 
on  a  side,  who  venture  their  horses,  robes,  weapons,  and  even  the  very 
clothes  upon  their  backs,  on  the  issue  of  the  game.  For  this  beautiful 
game  two  byes  or  goals  are  established,  at  three  or  four  hundred  yards  from 
each  other,  by  erecting  two  poles  in  the  ground  for  each,  four  or  five  feet 
apart,  between  which  it  is  the  strife  of  either  party  to  force  the  ball  (it  hav 
ing  been  thrown  up  at  a  point  half-way  between)  by  catching  it  in  a  little 
hoop,  or  racket,  at  the  end  of  a  stick,  three  feet  in  length,  held  in  both 
hands  as  they  run,  throwing  the  ball  an  immense  distance  when  they  get  it 


INDIANS  IN  LORD'S  CRICKET-GROUND.  79 

two  was  enclosed  by  a  rope,  and  protected  for  their  amuse 
ments  by  the  police.  To  this  the  visitors  advanced  on 
every  side,  and  seemed  delighted  with  their  rude  appear 
ance  and  native  sports.  This  arrangement  afforded  the 
Indians  the  opportunity  of  showing  their  games  and  amuse 
ments  to  the  greatest  advantage,  and  also  of  meeting  again 
the  acquaintances  they  had  made  at  the  Egyptian  Hall,  and 
shaking  hands  with  all  who  felt  disposed  to  do  them  that 
honour.  They  had  also  brought  with  them,  to  illustrate 
the  whole  of  Indian  life,  no  less  than  three  tents  (wig-warns) 
made  of  buffalo  hides,  curiously  but  rudely  painted,  which 
the  squaws  daily  erected  on  the  ground,  in  presence  of  the 
spectators,  forming  by  no  means  the  least  accurate  and 
pleasing  part  of  the  exhibition. 

The  beautiful  scenes  presented  there  could  be  repeated 
but  a  few  days,  owing  to  other  uses  to  be  made  of  the 
grounds ;  but  during  that  time  they  were  visited  by  vast 
numbers  of  the  nobility  of  London,  and  several  members 
of  the  Royal  Family.  The  incidents  of  those  days,  which 
were  curious  and  many,  must  be  passed  over,  excepting  that 
the  Doctor  daily  beheld  in  front  of  the  crowd,  and  at  full 
length,  the  "  jolly  fat  dame,"  to  whom  he  as  often  advanced, 
with  a  diffident  smile,  to  receive  a  beautiful  rose,  which  she 
handed  to  him  over  the  rope. 

These  amusements  in  the  open  air  in  the  daytime,  with 
the  dances,  &c.,  at  the  Hall  in  the  evenings,  with  their 
'"drive"  in  the  morning,  and  civil  attentions  to  persons 
calling  on  them  at  their  rooms,  now  engrossed  completely 
all  their  time,  and  they  were  actually  compelled  to  give 
offence  to  some  parties  who  called  on  them,  and  to  whom 
they  could  not  devote  the  time.  Amongst  those  were 
several  deputations  from  public  schools,  of  clergymen,  and 

in  the  stick.  This  game  is  always  played  over  an  extensive  prairie 
or  meadow,  and  the  confusion  and  laughable  scrambles  for  the  ball  when 
it  is  falling,  and  often  sought  for  by  two  or  three  hundred  gathered  to 
a  focus,  are  curious  and  amusing  beyond  the  reach  of  any  description  or 
painting. 


80  INDIANS  VISIT  EALLNG  PARK. 

Sunday  school    teachers  ;    and    also    three    very    excellent 

Christian  ladies  in  a  party,  one  of  whom,  Mrs.  E .,  I  was 

well  acquainted  with,  and  knowing  her  extensive  Christian 
and  charitable  labours,  I  had  encouraged  to  call,  as  she  had 
expressed  a  strong  desire  to  talk  with  them  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  They  appealed  to  me,  and  I  desired  them  to 
call  at  another  hour,  which  they  did,  and  I  said  to  the  chief 
that  there  was  another  proposition  for  a  talk  on  the  subject 
of  religion.  This  seemed  to  annoy  them  somewhat,  and 
after  smoking  a  pipe,  they  decided  not  to  see  them.  I  then 
told  them  that  they  were  three  ladies ;  this  seemed  to  startle 
them  for  a  few  moments,  but  they  smoked  on,  and  finally 
the  War-chief  said  "  it  was  a  subject  on  which,  if  they  had 
anything  more  to  say,  they  would  rather  say  it  to  the  men 
than  to  women — they  can  talk  with  our  women  if  they  like." 
I  then  invited  the  Indian  wromen  into  the  room,  and  Jeffrey 
interpreted  for  the  ladies,  who  had  a  long  conversation 
with  them,  but,  as  the  ladies  afterwards  told  me,  few  words 
on  the  subject  of  religion :  as  to  the  first  questions  on  that 
subject,  the  squaws  answered  that  they  left  that  mostly  to 
their  husbands,  and  they  thought  that  if  they  loved  their 
husbands,  and  took  good  care  of  their  children,  the  Great 
Spirit  would  be  kind  to  them.  These  kind  ladies  called  the 
next  day  and  left  them  fourteen  Bibles  and  some  other  very 
useful  presents,  and  their  prayers  for  their  happiness, 
feeling  convinced  that  this  was  the  most  effectual  and  best 
way  of  making  lasting  and  beneficial  impressions  on  their 
minds. 

One  of  the  very  high  compliments  paid  them  from  the 
fashionable  world  was  now  before  them,  and  this  being  the 
day  for  it,  all  parties  were  dressing  and  painting  for  the  occa 
sion.  I  had  received  a  very  kind  note  from  Mrs.  Lawrence, 
inviting  me  to  bring  them  to  pay  her  a  visit  in  her  lovely 
grounds  at  Ealing  Park,  a  few  miles  from  the  city  of  Lon 
don."  The  omnibus  was  ready,  and  being  seated,  we  were 
there  with  an  hour's  drive,  and  received  on  the  fine  lawn  in 
the  rear  of  her  house.  Here  was  presented  the  most  beauti- 


RECEPTION  AT  BALING  PARK.  81 

ful  scene  which  the  loways  helped  to  embellish  whilst  they 
were  in  the  kingdom — for  nothing  more  sweet  can  be  seen 
than  this  little  paradise,  hemmed  in  with  the  richness  and 
wildncss  of  its  surrounding  foliage,  and  its  velvet  carpet  of 
green  on  which  the  Indians  were  standing  and  reclining, 
and  the  kind  lady  and  her  Royal  and  noble  guests,  collected 
in  groups,  to  witness  their  dances  and  other  amusements. 
Their  Royal  Highnesses  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Cam 
bridge,  with  the  lovely  Princess  Mary,  the  Hereditary 
Grand  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Mecklenburgh  Strelitz,  the 
Duchess  of  Gloucester,  and  many  of  the  nobility,  formed 
the  party  of  her  friends  whom  this  lady  had  invited,  and 
who  soon  entered  the  lawn  to  meet  these  sons  of  the  forest, 
and  witness  their  wild  sports. 

At  the  approach  of  the  lady  and  her  Royal  party,  the 
Indians  all  arose,  and  the  chiefs  having  been  introduced, 
half  an  hour  or  more  was  passed  in  a  conversation  with 
them,  through  Jeffrey  and  myself,  and  an  examination  of 
their  costumes,  weapons,  &c.,  when  they  seated  themselves  in 
a  circle,  and  passing  the  pipe  around,  were  preparing  for  a 
dance.  The  first  they  selected  was  their  favourite,  the  eagle- 
dance,  which  they  gave  with  great  spirit,  and  my  explana 
tion  of  the  meaning  of  it  seemed  to  add  much  to  its  interest. 

o 

(Plate  No.  13.)  After  the  dance  they  strung  their  bows  and 
practised  at  the  target,  and  at  length  Mr.  Melody  tossed 
up  the  ball,  when  they  snatched  up  their  ballsticks,  which 
they  had  brought  for  the  purpose,  and  darted  over  and 
about  the  grounds  in  the  exciting  game  of  the  ball.  This 
proved  more  amusing  to  the  spectators  than  either  of  the 
former  exercises,  but  it  was  short,  for  they  soon  lost  their 
ball,  and  the  game  being  completed,  they  seated  themselves 
again,  and  with  the  pipe  were  preparing  for  the  war-dance, 
in  which,  when  they  gave  it,  the  beautiful  lawn,  and  the 
forests  around  it,  resounded  with  the  shrill  notes  of  the 
war-whoop,  which  the  frightened  parroquets  and  cockatoos 
saucily  echoed  back  with  a  laughable  effect,  and  a  tolerable 
exactness.  The  pipe  of  peace  (or  calumet)  dance  was  also 

VOL.   II.  G 


82  ROAST  BEEF  AND  PLUM-PUDDING. 

given,  with  the  pipes  of  peace  in  their  hands,  which  they 
had  brought  out  for  the  purpose. 

While  these  exciting  scenes  were  going  on,  the  butler  was 
busy  spreading  a  white  cloth  over  a  long  table  arranged 
on  the  lawn,  near  the  house,,  and  on  it  the  luxuries  that 
had  been  preparing  in  the  kitchen,  for  their  dinners. 
This  arrangement  was  so  timed  that  the  roast  beef  was  on 
and  smoking  just  when  their  amusements  were  finished,  and 
when  the  announcement  was  made  that  their  "  dinner  was 
up,"  all  parties  moved  in  that  direction,  but  in  two  divi 
sions,  the  one  to  partake,  and  the  other  to  look  on  and  see 
how  wild  people  could  handle  the  knife  and  fork.  This 
was  to  be  the  last,  though  (as  I  could  see  by  the  anxiety  of 
the  spectators)  not  the  least  amusing  of  their  amusements,  and 
it  was  in  the  event  rendered  peculiarly  so  to  some  of  us, 
from  the  various  parts  which  the  kind  and  illustrious  spec 
tators  were  enabled  to  take  in  it,  when  in  all  their  former 
amusements  there  was  no  possible  way  in  which  they  could 
"  lend  a  hand."  Every  one  could  here  assist  in  placing  a 
chair  or  handing  a  plate,  and  the  Indians  being  seated,  all 
were  ready  and  emulous,  standing  around  the  table  and  at 
their  elbows,  to  perform  some  little  office  of  the  kind,  to 
assist  them  to  eat,  and  to  make  them  comfortable.  His 
Royal  Highness  proposed  that  I  should  take  my  stand  at 
the  head  of  the  table,  before  a  huge  sirloin  of  roast  beef, 
and  ply  the  carving  knife,  which  I  did;  whilst  he  travelled, 
plates  in  hand,  until  they  all  were  helped.  The  young 
Princess  Mary,  and  the  two  little  daughters  of  the  kind 
lady,  like  the  three  Graces,  were  bending  about  under  loads 
of  bread  and  vegetables  they  were  helping  the  Indians  to, 
and  the  kind  lady  herself  was  filling  their  glasses  from  the 
generous  pitcher  of  foaming  ale,  and  ordering  the  butler  to 
uncork  the  bottles  of  champagne  which  were  ready  and 
hissing  at  the  delay. 

This  unusual  scene  was  taking  place  in  the  nearer  vicinity 
of  the  poor  parroquets  and  cockatoos,  who  seemed,  thus  far, 
awed  into  a  discretionary  silence,  but  were  dancing  to  the 


ALARM  OF  THE  PARROTS.  83 

right  and  the  left,  and  busily  swinging  their  heads  to  and  fro, 
with  their  eyes  and  their  cars  open  to  all  that  was  said  and 
done.  When  the  cork  flew  from  the  first  bottle  of  champagne, 
the  parrots  squalled  out,  "  There  !  there  !!  there ! ! !"  and  the 
Indians  as  suddenly,  "  Chickabobboo  !  chickabobboo  ! "  Both 
laughed,  and  all  the  party  had  to  laugh,  at  the  simultaneous 
excitement  of  the  parrots  and  the  Indians ;  and  most  of 
them  were  as  ignorant  of  the  language  (and  of  course  of  the 
wit  of)  the  one  as  of  the  other.  Chickabobboo,  however,  was 
understood,  at  least  by  the  Indians ;  and  their  glasses  being 
filled  with  champagne,  the  moment  they  were  raising  it  to 
their  lips,  and  some  had  commenced  drinking,  the  cockatoos 
suddenly  squalled  out  again,  "There!  there!!  there!!!" 
The  old  Doctor,  and  his  superstitious  friend  Jim,  who 
had  not  got  their  glasses  quite  to  their  mouths,  slowly 
lowered  them  upon  the  table,  and  turned,  with  the  most 
beseeching  looks,  upon  Mr.  Melody  and  myself,  to  know 
whether  they  were  breaking  their  vow  to  us.  They  said 
nothing,  but  the  question  was  sufficiently  plain  in  their 
looks  for  an  answer,  and  I  replied,  "  No,  my  good  fellows, 
the  parrots  are  fools,  they  don't  know  what  they  are  talking 
about ;  they,  no  doubt,  thought  this  was  whiskey,  but  we 
know  better ;  it's  some  of  the  '  Queens  chickabobboo,'  and 
you  need  not  fear  to  drink  it."  This  curious  affair  had 
been  seen  but  by  a  part  of  the  company,  and  only  by  the 
Indians  at  our  end  of  the  table,  and  therefore  lost  its  general 
effect  until  I  related  it.  The  queer-sounding  word  "  chicka 
bobboo"  seemed  to  amuse,  and  to  excite  the  curiosity  of 
many,  and  there  was  no  understanding  it  without  my  going 
over  the  whole  ground,  and  explaining  how  and  where 
it  originated,  which,  when  finished,  created  much  amuse 
ment.  While  I  was  relating  this  story  the  plates  were  being 
changed,  and  just  at  the  end  of  it  the  parrots  sang  out  again, 
"  There!  there!!  there!!!"  as  before;  but  it  was  discovered 
that,  at  that  instant,  one  of  the  waiters  was  passing  near 
them  with  a  huge  and  smoking  plum-pudding,  and  so  high 
that  we  could  but  just  see  his  face  over  the  top  of  it.  This 

G  2 


84  SPEECH  OF  THE  WAR-CHIEF. 

was  placed  before  me,  and  as  I  divided  and  served  it,  the 
same  hands,  Royal  and  fair,  conveyed  it  to  the  different 
parts  of  the  table.  This  was  a  glorious  pudding,  and  I  had 
helped  each  one  abundantly,  expecting,  as  all  did,  that  they 
would  devour  it  without  mincing ;  but,  to  the  surprise  of 
all,  they  tasted  a  little,  and  left  the  rest  upon  their  plates. 
Fears  were  entertained  that  the  pudding  did  not  suit  them, 
and  I  was  constrained  to  ask  why  they  did  not  eat  more. 
The  reply  was  reluctant,  but  very  significant  and  satisfac 
tory  when  it  came.  Jim  spoke  for  all.  He  said,  "They  all 
agreed  that  it  was  good — very  good  ;  but  that  the  beef  was 
also  very  good,  and  the  only  fault  of  the  pudding  was,  that 
it  had  come  too  late." 

The  War-chief  at  this  time  was  charging  his  long  pipe 
with  linicli  Knock,  and  some  fire  being  brought  to  light  it,  it 
was  soon  passed  from  his  into  the  chief's  hands,  when  he 
arose  from  the  table,  and  offering  his  hand  to  His  Royal 
Highness,  stepped  a  little  back,  and  addressed  him  thus  :— 

"  My  Great  Father, — Your  face  to-day  has  made  us  all  very  happy.  The 
Great  Spirit  has  done  this  for  us,  and  we  are  thankful  for  it.  The  Great 
Spirit  inclined  your  heart  to  let  us  see  your  face,  and  to  shake  your  hand, 
and  we  are  very  happy  that  it  has  been  so.  (How,  how,  how ! ) 

"  My  Father, — We  have  been  told  that  you  are  the  uncle  of  the  Queen, 
and  that  your  brother  was  the  Kingof  this  rich  country.  We  fear  we  shall 
go  home  without  seeing  the  face  of  your  Queen,  except  as  we  saw  it  in  her 
carriage  ;  but  if  so,  we  shall  be  happy  to  say  that  we  have  seen  the  great 
chief  who  is  next  to  the  Queen.  (How,  how,  how  !  ) 

"My  Father, — We  are  poor  and  ignorant  people  from  the  wilderness, 
whose  eyes  are  not  yet  open,  and  we  did  not  think  that  we  should  be 
treated  so  kindly  as  wre  have  to-day.  Our  skins  are  red,  and  our  ways  are 
not  so  pleasing  as  those  of  the  white  people,  and  we  therefore  feel  the  more 
proud  that  so  great  a  chief  should  come  so  far  to  see  us,  and  to  help  to  feed 
us;  this  we  shall  never  forget.  (How,  how,  how  /) 

"  My  Father, — We  feel  thankful  to  the  lady  who  has  this  fine  house 
and  these  fine  fields,  and  who  has  invited  us  here  to-day,  and  to  all  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen  who  are  here  to  see  us.  We  shall  pray  for  you  all  in  our 
prayers  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  now  we  shall  be  obliged  to  shake  hands 
with  you  and  go  home.  (Hoiv,  how,  how ! )  " 

His  Royal  Highness  replied  to  him, — 
"That  he  and  all  his  friends  present  had  been  highly  pleased  with  their 


FRIGHT  OF  THE  BIRDS.  85 

appearance  and  amusements  to-day,  and  most  of  all  with  the  reverential 
manner  in  which  he  had  just  spoken  of  the  Great  Spirit,  before  whom  we 
must  all,  whether  red  or  white,  soon  appear.  He  thanked  the  chiefs  for 
the  efforts  they  had  made  to  entertain  them,  and  trusted  that  the  Great 
Spirit  would  be  kind  to  them  in  restoring  them  safe  home  to  their  friends 
again." 

At  this  moment,  when  all  were  rising  and  wrapping  their 
robes  around  them  preparing  to  start,  the  lady  appeared 
among  them,  with  a  large  plate  in  her  hands,  bearing  on  it 
a  variety  of  beautiful  trinkets,  which  she  dispensed  among 
them  according  to  their  various  tastes  ;  and  with  a  general 
shake  of  the  hand,  they  retired  from  the  grounds  to  take 
their  carriage  for  town.  The  parrots  and  cockatoos  all 
bowed  their  heads  in  silence  as  they  passed  by  them  ;  but 
as  the  old  Doctor  (who  always  lingers  behind  to  bestow  and 
catch  the  last  smile,  and  take  the  second  shake  of  the  hand 
where  there  are  ladies  in  question)  extended  his  hand  to 
the  kind  lady,  to  thank  her  the  second  and  last  time,  there 
was  a  tremendous  cry  of  ''There!  there!!  there!!!"''  and 
''  Cockatoo!  cockatoo!" — the  last  of  which  the  poor  Doctor, 
in  his  confusion,  had  mistaken  for  "  Chickabobboo !  chicka- 
bobboo  !  "  He,  however,  kept  a  steady  gait  between  the  din 
of  "There!  there!!  there!!!"  and  "Cockatoo!"  that  was 
behind  him,  and  the  inconceivable  laughter  of  his  party  in 
the  carriage,  who  now  insisted  on  it  (and  almost  made  him 
believe),  that  his  ugly  face  had  been  the  sole  cause  of  the 
alarm  of  the  birds  and  monkeys  since  the  Indians  entered 
the  ground.* 

This  was    theme  enough   to  ensure  them  a  merry  ride 

H  The  polite  Doctor  often  spoke  of  his  admiration  of  this  excellent  lady 
and  of  her  beautiful  park,  and  expressed  his  regrets  also  that  the  day  they 
spent  there  was  so  short ;  for  while  hunting  for  the  ball  which  they  had  lost, 
it  seemed  he  had  strolled  alone  into  her  beautiful  Conservatoire,  where  he 
said,  "  in  just  casting  his  eyes  around,  he  thought  there  were  roots  that  they 
had  not  yet  been  able  to  find  in  this  country,  and  which  they  stood  much  in 
need  of."  He  said  "he  believed  from  what  he  had  seen  when  he  was  look 
ing  for  the  ball,  though  nobody  had  ever  told  him,  that  this  lady  was  a 
great  root -doctor." 


86  VISIT  SURREY  ZOOLOGICAL  GARDENS. 

home,  where  they  arrived  in  time,  and  in  the  very  best  of 
humour,  for  their  accustomed  evening  amusements  at  the 
Hall ;  and  after  that,  of  taking  their  suppers  and  chickabobboo 
in  their  own  apartments,  which  resounded  with  songs  and 
with  encomiums  on  the  kind  lady  and  her  chickabobboo,  until 
they  got  to  sleep. 

The  next  morning  we  had  an  appointment  to  visit  the 
Surrey  Zoological  Gardens,  and  having  the  greatest  cu 
riosity  to  witness  the  mutual  surprise  there  might  be 
exhibited  at  the  meeting  of  wild  men  and  wild  animals,  I 
was  one  of  the  party.  The  interview,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  annoyance  of  a  crowd,  had  been  arranged  as  a  private 
one :  we  were,  therefore,  on  the  spot  at  an  early  hour ; 
and  as  we  were  entering  (the  Doctor,  with  his  jingling 
dress  and  red  face,  being  in  advance  of  the  party,  as  he 
was  sure  to  be  in  entering  any  curious  place,  though  the 
last  to  leave  if  there  were  ladies  behind),  we  were  assailed 
with  the  most  tremendous  din  of  "  There  !  there!!  there!!!'7 
"  Cockatoo!  cockatoo!"  and  "God  dam!"  and  fluttering  of 

O 

wings  of  the  poor  affrighted  parrots,  that  were  pitching  down 
from  their  perches  in  all  directions.  I  thought  it  best  that 
we  should  retreat  a  few  moments,  until  Mr.  Cross  could 
arrange  the  front  ranks  of  his  aviary  a  little,  which  he  did 
by  moving  back  some  of  their  outposts  to  let  us  pass.  We 
had  been  shown  into  a  little  office  in  the  meantime,  where  Mr. 
Melody  had  very  prudently  suggested  that  they  had  better 
discharge  as  many  of  their  rattling  gewgaws  as  possible, 
and  try  to  carry  into  the  ground  as  little  of  the  frightful 
as  they  could.  Amusing  jokes  were  here  heaped  upon 
the  Doctor  for  his  extreme  ugliness,  which,  as  Jim  told 
him,  had  terrified  the  poor  birds  almost  to  death.  The 
Doctor  bore  it  all  patiently,  however,  and  with  a  smile;  and 
partially  turned  the  laugh  upon  Jim  with  the  big  mouth, 
by  replying  that  it  was  lucky  for  the  gentleman  owning  the 
parrots  that  Jim  did  not  enter  first ;  for  if  he  had,  the  poor 
man  would  have  found  them  all  dead,  instead  of  being  a 

3  G 

little  alarmed,  as  they  then  were. 


FRIGHT  OF  THE  BIRDS  AND  BEASTS.  «7 

We  were  now  entering  upon  the  greatest  field  for  the 
speculations  and  amusement  (as  well  as  astonishment)  of  the 
Indians  that  they  were  to  meet  in  the  great  metropolis. 
My  note-book  was  in  my  hand  and  my  pencil  constantly 
employed ;  and  the  notes  that  I  then  and  in  subsequent 
visits  made,  can  be  allowed  very  little  space  in  this  work. 
All  were  ready,  and  we  followed  Mr.  Cross  ;  the  Indians, 
fourteen  in  number,  with  their  red  faces  and  red  crests, 
marching  in  single  file.  The  squalling  of  parrots  and 
barking  of  dogs  seemed  to  have  announced  to  the  whole 
neighbourhood  that  some  extraordinary  visitation  was  at 
hand ;  and  when  we  were  in  front  of  the  lions'  cage, 
their  tremendous  bolts  against  its  sides,  and  unusual  roar, 
announced  to  the  stupidest  animal  and  reptile  that  an 
enemv  was  in  the  field,  The  terrible  voice  of  the  king  of 

J  o 

beasts  was  heard  in  every  part,  and  echoed  back  in  affrighted 
notes  of  a  hundred  kinds.  Men  as  well  as  beasts  were 
alarmed,  for  the  men  employed  within  the  grounds  were  re 
treating,  and  at  every  turn  they  made  amidst  its  bewilder 
ing  mazes,  they  imagined  a  roaring  lion  was  to  spring  upon 
their  backs.  The  horrid  roaring  of  the  lions  was  answered 
by  lions  from  another  part  of  the  garden.  Hyenas  and  pan 
thers  hissed,  wolves  were  howling,  the  Indians  (catching  the 
loved  inspiration  of  nature's  wildness)  sounded  their  native 
war-whoop,  the  buffaloes  bellowed,  the  wild  geese  stretched 
their  necks  and  screamed;  the  deer,  the  elk,  and  the  ante 
lopes  were  trembling,  the  otters  and  beavers  dived  to  the 
bottom  of  their  pools,  the  monkeys  were  chattering  from 
the  tops  of  their  wire  cages,  the  bears  were  all  at  the  sum 
mit  of  their  poles,  and  the  ducks  and  the  geese  whose  wings 
were  not  cropped,  were  hoisting  themselves  out  of  their  ele 
ment  into  quieter  regions. 

The  whole  establishment  was  thus  in  an  instant  "brushed 
up,"  and  in  their  excitement,  prepared  to  be  seen  to  the 
greatest  possible  advantage ;  all  upon  their  feet,  and  walk 
ing  their  cages  to  and  fro,  seemingly  as  impatient  to  see 


88  SACRIFICE  TOBACCO  TO  THE  LION. 

what  they  seemed  to  know  was  coming,  as  the  visiting  party 
was  impatient  to  see  them. 

I  explained  to  the  Indians  that  the  lion  was  the  king  of 
beasts — and  they  threw  tobacco  before  him  as  a  sacrifice. 
The  hyenas  attracted  their  attention  very  much,  and  the 
leopards  and  tigers,  of  the  nature  of  all  of  which  I  promised 
to  give  them  some  fuller  account  after  we  got  home.  They 
met  the  panther,  which  they  instantly  recognized,  and  the 
recognition  would  seem  to  have  been  mutual,  from  its  evi 
dent  alarm,  evinced  by  its  hissing  and  showing  its  teeth. 
Jim  called  for  the  Doctor  "  to  see  his  brother/'  the  wolf.  The 
Doctor's  totem  or  arms  was  the  wolf — it  was  therefore  medicine 
to  him.  The  Doctor  advanced  with  a  smile,  and  offering  it 
his  hand,  with  a  smirk  of  recognition,  he  began,  in  a  low  and 
soft  tone,  to  howl  like  a  wolf.  All  were  quiet  a  moment,  when 
the  poor  animal  was  led  awray  by  the  Doctor's  "  distant  howl- 
ings"  until  it  raised  up  its  nose,  with  the  most  pitiable  looks 
of  imploration  for  its  liberty,  and  joined  him  in  the  chorus. 
He  turned  to  us  with  an  exulting  smile,  but  to  his  "  poor 
imprisoned  brother,"  as  he  called  it,  with  a  tear  in  his  eye, 
and  a  plug  of  tobacco  in  his  hand,  which  he  left  by  the  side 
of  its  cage  as  a  peace  offering. 

The  ostrich  (of  which  there  was  a  noble  specimen  there) 
and  the  kangaroo  excited  the  admiration  and  lively  re 
marks  of  the  Indians ;  but  when  they  met  the  poor  dis 
tressed  and  ragged  prisoner,  the  buffalo  from  their  own  wild 
and  free  prairies,  their  spirits  were  overshadowed  with  an 
instant  gloom  ;  forebodings,  perhaps,  of  their  own  approach 
ing  destiny.  They  sighed,  and  even  wept,  for  this  worn 
veteran,  and  walked  on.  With  the  bears  they  would  have 
shaken  hands,  if  they  could  have  done  it,  "  and  embraced 
them  too,"  said  the  Little-wolf,  "for  he  had  hugged  many 
a  one."  They  threw  tobacco  to  the  rattlesnake,  which  is 
medicine  with  them,  and  not  to  be  killed.  The  joker,  Jim, 
made  us  white  men  take  off  our  hats  as  we  passed  the 
beaver,  for  it  was  his  relation  ;  and  as  he  had  learned  a  little 


INDIANS  IN  SURREY  ZOOLOGICAL  GARDENS.  89 

English,  when  he  heard  the  ducks  cry  "  quack,"  he  pointed 
to  them  and  told  the  Doctor  to  go  there — he  was  called  for. 

Thus  rapid  were  the  transitions  from  surprise  to  pity,  and 
to  mirth,  as  we  passed  along,  and  yet  to  wonder  and  astonish 
ment,  which  had  been  reserved  for  the  remotest  and  the  last. 
Before  the  massive  elephant  little  or  nothing  was  said  ;  all 
hands  were  over  their  mouths  ;  their  tobacco  was  forgotten, 
they  walked  quietly  away,  and  all  of  us  being  seated  under 
an  arbour,  to  which  we  were  conducted,  our  kind  guide  said 
to  Jeffrey,  "  Tell  the  Indians  that  the  immense  arch  they 
see  now  over  their  heads  is  made  of  the  jaw-bones  of  a  whale, 
and  they  may  now  imagine  themselves  and  the  whole  party 
sitting  in  its  mouth."  "Well,  now,"  said  Jeffrey,  "you 
don't  say  so?"  "Yes,  it's  even  so."  "Well,  I  declare  !  why, 
the  elephant  would  be  a  mere  baby  to  it."  Jeffrey  ex 
plained  it  to  the  Indians,  and  having  risen  from  their 
seats,  and  being  satisfied,  by  feeling  it,  that  it  was  actually 
bone,  they  wished  to  go  home,  and  "  see  the  rest  at  a  future 
time."  We  were  then  near  the  gate,  where  we  soon  took 
our  carriage,  and  returned  to  their  quarters  in  St.  James's 
Street. 


C   90  ) 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Indians'  remarks  on  the  Zoological  Gardens — Their  pity  for  the  poor  buf 
falo  and  other  animals  imprisoned — Jim's  talk  with  a  clergyman  about 
Hell  and  the  hyeenas — Indians'  ideas  of  astronomy — Jim  and  the  Doctor 
hear  of  the  hells  of  London — Desire  to  go  into  them — Promised  to  go — 
Indians  counting  the  gin-palaces  (chickabobboo-ags)\n.  a  ride  to  Blackwall 
and  back — The  result — Exhibition  in  the  Egyptian  Hall — A  sudden 
excitement — The  War-chief  recognises  in  the  crowd  his  old  friend 
"Bobasheela" — Their  former  lives  on  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri — 
Bobasheela  an  Englishman — His  travels  in  the  "  Far  West  "  of  America 
— Story  of  their  first  acquaintance — The  doomed  wedding-party — Lieut. 
Pike — Daniel  Boone  and  Son — Indians  visit  a  great  brewery — Kind  re 
ception  by  the  proprietors — Great  surprise  of  the  Indians — Immense 
quantities  of  clrickabobboo — War-dance  in  an  empty  vat — Daniel  com 
mences  Jim's  book  of  the  statistics  of  England — Indians  visit  the  Tunnel 
— Visit  to  the  Tower — The  Horse  Armoury — The  Royal  Regalia — 
Indians'  ideas  of  the  crowns  and  jewels — "  Totems"  (arms)  on  the  fronts 
of  noblemen's  houses — Royal  arms  over  the  shops — Strange  notions  of 
the  Doctor — They  see  the  "man  with  the  big  nose"  again — And  the 
"  great  white  War-chief  (the  Duke  of  Wellington)  on  horseback,  near 
his  wig- wain." 

THREE  or  four  of  my  particular  friends  had  joined  us  in  our 
visit  to  the  Zoological  Gardens  this  morning,  and  amongst 
them  a  reverend  gentleman,  whose  professional  character 
was  not  made  known  to  the  Indians.  He  kept  close  to 
Jeffrey  and  the  Indians  all  the  way,  and  his  ears  were  open 
to  the  translation  of  everything  they  said.  He  was  not  only 
highly  amused  at  their  remarks,  but  told  me  he  heard 
enough  to  convince  him  that  lessons  of  morality,  of  devotion, 
and  religion,  as  well  as  of  philosophy,  might  be  learned 
from  those  poor  people.,  although  they  were  the  savages  of 
the  wilderness,  and  often  despised  as  such.  Mr.  Melody 
and  I  accompanied  them  to  their  rooms,  and  as  we  came 
in  when  their  dinner  was  coming  up,  we  sat  down  and  par- 


INDIANS'  REMARKS  ON  ZOOLOGICAL  GARDENS.  91 

took  of  it  with  them.  The  Indian's  mode  is  to  eat  exclusively 
while  he  eats,  and  to  talk  afterwards.  We  adhered  to  their 
rule  on  this  occasion,  and  after  the  dinner  was  over,  and  a 
pipe  was  lit,  there  were  remarks  and  comments  enough  ready, 
upon  the  strange  things  they  had  just  seen. 

As  usual,  the  first  thing  was,  to  have  a  laugh  at  the 
Doctor  for  having  frightened  the  parrots;  and  then  to  re- 
ilect  and  to  comment  upon  the  cruelty  of  keeping  all  those 
poor  and  unoffending  animals  prisoners  in  such  a  place, 
merely  to  be  looked  at.  They  spoke  of  the  doleful  looks 
they  all  wore  in  their  imprisoned  cells,  walking  to  and 
fro,  and  looking  through  the  iron  bars  at  every  person  who 
came  along,  as  if  they  wished  them  to  let  them  out.  I  was 
forcibly  struck  with  the  truth  and  fitness  of  their  remarks, 
having  never  passed  through  a  menagerie  without  coming 
out  impressed,  even  to  fatigue,  with  the  sympathy  I  had 
felt  for  the  distressed  looks  and  actions  of  these  poor  crea 
tures,  imprisoned  for  life,  for  man's  amusement  only. 

Jim  asked,  "  What  have  all  those  poor  animals  and  birds 
done  that  they  should  be  shut  up  to  die?  They  never  have 
murdered  anybody — they  have  not  been  guilty  of  stealing, 
and  they  owe  no  money;  why  should  they  be  kept  so,  and 
there  to  die  ?"  He  said  it  would  afford  him  more  pleasure 
to  see  one  of  them  let  loose  and  run  away  over  the  fields, 
than  to  see  a  hundred  imprisoned  as  they  were.  The 
Doctor  took  up  the  gauntlet  and  reasoned  the  other  way. 
He  said  they  wrere  altogether  the  happiest  wild  animals  he 
ever  saw  ;  they  were  perfectly  prevented  from  destroying 
each  other,  and  had  enough  to  eat  as  long  as  they  lived, 
and  plenty  of  white  men  to  wait  upon  them.  He  did  not 
see  why  they  should  not  live  as  long  there  as  anywhere 
else,  and  as  happy.  He  admitted,  however,  that  his  heart 
was  sad  at  the  desolate  look  of  the  old  buffalo  bull,  which 
he  would  like  to  have  seen  turned  loose  on  the  prairies. 

The  Roman-nose  said  he  heard  one  of  the  parrots  say 
"  God  dam."  "  So  he  did,"  said  Jim  ;  "  and  who  could 
say  otherwise,  when  the  Doctor  poked  his  ugly  face  so  sud- 


92  INDIANS'  REMARKS  ON  ZOOLOGICAL  GARDENS. 

denly  in  amongst  them  ?    They  know  how  to  speak  English, 
and  I  don't  wonder  they  say  God  dam."* 

I  here  diverted  their  attention  from  the  jokes  they  were 
beginning  upon  the  Doctor,  by  asking  them  how  they  liked 
the  ckichabobboo  they  got  in  the  gardens,  which  they  recol 
lected  with  great  pleasure,  and  which  they  pronounced  to 
have  been  very  good.  Mr.  Cross  had  invited  the  whole 
party  to  a  private  view,  and  after  showing  us,  with  great 
politeness,  what  he  had  curious,  invited  us  into  one 
of  his  delightful  little  refreshment  rooms,  and  treated 
all  to  cold  chickens,  pork  pies,  pastries,  and  champagne, 
which  the  Indians  called  chickabobboo ;  and  as  he  did  not 
know  the  meaning  of  the  word,  I  related  the  story  of  it, 
which  pleased  him  very  much. 

The  Doctor  made  some  laugh,  by  saying  that  "  he  was 
going  over  there  again  in  a  few  days,  if  he  could  find  some 
strings  long  enough,  to  measure  the  elephant  and  the  bones 
of  the  whale,  as  he  had  got  the  dimensions  of  the  giant 
man."  Jim  told  him  "he  had  not  got  the  measure  of  the 
(jiant  man — he  had  only  measured  the  giant  woman,  and  getting 
scared,  he  only  half  measured  her;  and  he  was  so  much 
afraid  of  women,  that  he  didn't  believe  he  could  ever  take 
the  measure  of  one  of  them  correct,  if  a  hundred  should 
stand  ever  so  still  for  him."  The  Doctor  smiled,  and  looked 
at  me  as  if  to  know  if  I  was  going  to  ask  some  question 
again.  He  was  fortunately  relieved  at  that  moment,  how 
ever,  by  Mr.  Melody's  question  to  Jim,  "  how  he  liked  the 
looks  of  the  hyenas,  and  whether  he  would  like  him  to  buy 
one  to  carry  home  with  him  ?  "  Jim  rolled  over  on  to  his 
back,  and  drew  his  knees  up  (the  only  position  in  which  he 
could  "think  fast,"  as  he  expressed  it;  evidently  a  peculi 
arity  with  him,  and  a  position,  ungraceful  as  it  was,  which 
it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  him  to  assume,  if  he  was  going 
to  tell  a  story  well,  or  to  make  a  speech)  ;  and  after  think  - 


*  No  Indian  language  in  America  affords  the  power  of  swearing,  not 
being  sufficiently  rich  and  refined. 


JIM'S  TALK  WITH  A  CLERGYMAN.  93 

ing  much  more  profoundly  than  it  required  to  answer  so 
simple  a  question,  replied,  "  Very  well,  very  well,"  and  kept 
thinking  on.  The  Little  Wolf,  who  was  lying  by  his  side, 
asked  him  "what  he  was  troubled  about? — he  seemed  to  be 
thinking  very  strong."  Jim  replied  to  this,  that  "  he  was 
thinking  a  great  way,  and  he  had  to  think  hard."  He  said, 
that  when  he  was  looking  at  the  hyenas,  he  said  to  Jeffrey 
that  he  thought  they  were  the  wickedest  looking  animals  he 
ever  saw,  and  that  he  believed  they  would  go  to  hell;  but 
that  the  gentleman  who  came  to  the  garden  with  Mr. 
Melody*  said  to  him,  "  No,  my  friend,  none  but  the  animals 
that  laugh  and  cry  can  go  to  heaven  or  to  hell."  He  said 
that  this  gentleman  then  wanted  to  know  how  he  had  heard 
of  hell,  and  what  idea  he  had  of  it.  He  said,  he  told  Jef 
frey  to  say  to  him  that  some  white  men  (black  coats]  had 
told  amongst  his  people,  that  there  was  such  a  place  as  hell, 
very  low  unc^r  the  earth,  where  the  wicked  would  all  go, 
and  for  ever  be  in  the  fire.  He  said,  the  gentleman  asked 
him  if  he  believed  it  ?  and  that  he  told  him  he  thought  there 
might  be  such  a  place  for  white  people — he  couldn't  tell — 
but  he  didn't  think  the  Indians  would  go  to  it.  He  said, 
the  gentleman  then  asked  him  why  he  thought  those  poor 
ignorant  animals  the  hyenas  would  go  there?  And  he  re 
plied  to  him  that  Chippehol<i\  said  "  the  hyenas  live  by  dig 
ging  up  the  bodies  of  people  after  they  are  buried;  "  and 
he  therefore  thought  they  were  as  wicked  as  the  white 
people,  who  also  dig  up  the  Indians'  graves,  and  scatter 
their  bones  about,  all  along  our  country  ;  J  and  he  thought 
such  white  people  would  go  to  hell,  and  ought  to  go  there. 
He  said  he  also  told  the  gentleman  he  had  heard  there 
were  some  hells  under  the  city  of  London,  and  that  he  had 
been  invited  to  go  and  see  them  :  this,  he  said,  made  the 

*  The  reverend  gentleman. 

t  Mr.  Catlin. 

%  One  of  the  most  violent  causes  of  the  Indian's  hatred  of  white  men  is, 
that  nearly  every  Indian  grave  is  opened  by  them  on  the  frontier  for  their 
skulls  or  for  the  weapons  and  trinkets  buried  with  them. 


94  JIM'S  NOTIONS  OF  THE  GLOBE. 

gentleman  laugh,  and  there  was  no  more  said :  that  he  had 
begun  to  think  that  this  gentleman  was  a  black  coat.,  but 
when  he  saw  him  laugh,  he  found  out  that  he  was  not. 
"  Just  the  time  you  were  mistaken/'  said  Mr.  Melody ;  "  for 
that  gentleman  ivas  a  clergyman,  and  you  have  made  a  very 
great  fool  of  yourself."  "  I  will  risk  all  that,"  said  Jim  ;  "  I 
have  wanted  all  the  time  to  make  a  speech  to  some  of  them, 
but  the  chiefs  wouldn't  let  me." 

The  pipe,  during  these  conversations,  was  being  handed 
around,  and  Jim's  prolific  mind,  while  he  was  "  thinking 
fast "  (as  he  had  called  it),  was  now  running  upon  the 
elephant,  and  he  was  anxious  to  know  where  it  came  from. 
I  told  him  it  was  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  globe  :  he 
could  not  understand  me,  and  to  be  more  explicit,  I  told 
him  that  the  ground  we  stood  upon  was  part  of  the  surface 
of  the  earth,  which  was  round  like  a  ball,  and  many  thou 
sands  of  miles  around ;  and  that  these  huge  animals  came 
from  the  side  exactly  opposite  to  us.  I  never  could  exactly 
believe  that  Jim,  at  the  moment,  doubted  my  word  ;  but  in 
the  richness  of  his  imagination  (particularly  in  his  thinking 
position)  he  so  clearly  saw  elephants  walking  underside  of 
the  globe,  with  their  backs  downwards,  without  falling,  that 
he  broke  out  into  such  a  flood  of  laughter,  that  he  was 
obliged  to  shut  out  his  thoughts,  and  roll  over  upon  his 
hands  and  knees  until  the  spasms  went  gradually  off.  The 
rest  of  the  group  were  as  incredulous  as  Jim,  but  laughed 
less  vehemently ;  and  as  it  was  not  a  time  to  lecture  further 
on  astronomy,  I  thought  it  best  to  omit  it  until  a  better  op 
portunity  :  merely  waiting  for  Jim's  pencil  sketch  (and  no 
doubt  according  to  his  first  impression),  which  he  \vas  then 
drawing,  with  considerable  tact ;  and  with  equal  wit,  pro 
posed  I  should  adopt  as  my  "arms"  or  totem,  the  globe  with 
an  inverted  elephant. 

Melody  and  I  strolled  off  together,  leaving  the  Indians  in 
this  amusing  mood,  while  we  were  agreeing  that  they  were 
a  good-natured  and  well-disposed  set  of  men,  determining  to 
take  everything  in  the  happiest  way ;  and  that  they  were 


CHICKABOBBOO.  95 

well  entitled  to  our  protection,  and  our  best  energies  to  pro 
mote  their  welfare.  We  saw  that  they  enjoyed  every  thing 
that  we  showed  them,  with  a  high  relish  ;  and  in  hopes  that 
they  might  profit  by  it,  and  feel  a  stronger  attachment  to 
us,  we  resolved  to  spare  no  pains  in  showing  them  whatever 
we  could,  that  they  might  wish  to  see,  and  which  would  be 
likely,  in  any  way,  to  render  them  a  benefit. 

The  reader  will  have  seen,  by  this  time,  that  they  were 
a  close  observing  and  an  amusing  set  of  fellows :  and 
knowing  also  that  at  this  time  nearly  all  the  curious 
sights  of  London  were  still  before  us,  he  will  be  prepared 
to  meet  the  most  exciting  and  amusing  parts  of  this  book 
as  he  reads  on. 

We  continue:1  to  give  these  curious  and  good  fellows  their 
daily  drives  in  their  bus,  and  by  an  hour  spent  in  this  way 
each  day,  for  several  months,  they  were  enabled  to  form  a 
tolerably  correct  idea  of  the  general  shapes  and  appearance 
of  the  city,  and  its  modes,  as  seen  in  the  streets.  In  these 
drives,  as  well  as  in  institutions  of  various  kinds,  which  they 
visited,  they  saw  many  curious  things  which  amused  them, 
and  others  which  astonished  them  very  much;  but  their 
private  room  was  the  place  for  their  amusing  debates,  and 
remarks  upon  them,  when  they  returned  :  and  to  that  I 
generally  repaired  every  night  before  they  went  to  bed,  to 
hear  what  they  had  to  say  and  to  think,  of  the  sights  they 
had  seen  during  the  day. 

C/nckabolboo,  though  an  Ojibbeway  word,  had  now  become 
a  frequent  and  favourite  theme  with  them,  inasmuch  as  it 
was  at  this  time  an  essential  part  of  their  dinners  and 
suppers,  and  as,  in  all  their  drives  about  town,  they  were 
looking  into  the  "gin  palaces'"  which  they  were  every  moment 
passing,  and  at  the  pretty  maids  who  were  hopping  about, 
and  across  the  streets,  in  all  directions,  both  night  and  day, 
with  pitchers  of  ale  in  their  hands.  The  elevated  posi 
tions  of  the  Doctor  and  Jim,  as  they  were  alongside  of 
the  driver  of  the  bus,  enabling  them,  in  the  narrow  streets, 
to  peep  into  the  splendid  interior  of  many  of  these,  as 


96  INDIANS  COUNT  THE  GIN  PALACES. 

they  were  brilliantly  illumined,  and  generally  gay  with 
bonnets  and  ribbons,  and  imagining  a  great  deal  of  happi 
ness  and  fun  to  reign  in  them,  they  had  several  times 
ventured,  very  modestly,  to  suggest  to  me  a  wish  to  look 
into  some  of  them — "  not  to  drink,"  as  they  said,  "  for  they 
could  get  enough  to  drink  at  home,  but  to  see  how  they 
looked,  and  how  the  people  acted  there." 

I  had  told  them  that  if  they  had  the  least  curiosity,  there 
should  be  no  objection  to  their  going  with  me  on  some 
proper  occasion,  when  they  again  got  on  their  frock  coats 
and  beaver  hats ;  and  also  that  if  there  were  any  other 
curious  places  they  wished  to  see  in  London,  Mr.  Melody 
or  I  would  take  them  there.  Upon  hearing  this  the  big- 
mouthed  and  quizzical  Jim  at  once  took  me  at  my  word, 
and  told  me  that  "some  gentleman  with  Daniel  had  been 
telling  him  and  the  Doctor  that  there  were  several  '  hells ' 
under  the  city  of  London,  and  that  they  ought  some  time  to 
go  down  and  see  them."  He  didn't  think  from  what  Daniel 
and  that  man  said  that  they  were  hells  of  "fire,"  but  he 
thought  as  Daniel  had  been  to  them,  there  could  not  be 
much  danger,  and  he  thought  they  would  be  very  curious 
to  see  ;  he  knew  these  were  not  the  hells  which  the  black 
coats  spoke  of,  for  Daniel  told  him  there  were  many  beau 
tiful  ladies,  and  fine  music,  and  chickabobboo  there  ;  that 
they  did  not  wish  to  drink  the  chickabobboo ,  but  merely  to 
look  and  see,  and  then  come  away  ;  and  they  had  no  objec 
tions  to  put  011  the  black  coats  for  that  purpose ;  he  said,  in 
fact,  that  Daniel  had  invited  them  to  go,  and  that  Jeffrey 
had  agreed  to  go  with  them.  Jim  had  me  thus  "  upon  the 
hip"  for  this  enterprise,  and  when  I  mentioned  it  to  poor 
Melody,  he  smiled  as  he  seemed  to  shrink  from  it,  and  said, 
"  Ah,  Catlin,  that  never  will  do  :  we  are  going  to  spoil  these 
Indians,  as  sure  as  the  world ;  there  will  be  in  a  little  time 
nothing  but  what  they  will  want  to  see,  and  we  shall  have 
no  peace  of  our  lives  with  them.  They  have  all  gone  now, 
and  Daniel  and  Jeffrey  with  them,  in  their  bus,  all  the 
way  to  Black  wall,  merely  to  see  how  many  chickabobbooaf/s 


MR.  MELODY'S  APPREHENSIONS.  97 

(gin  palaces)  they  can  count  in  the  way,  going  by  one  route 
and  returning  by  another.      Their  minds   are  running  on 
c/n'ckalobboo  and  such  things  already,  and  they  are  in  the 
midst  of  such  a  scene  of  gin-drinking  and  drunkenness  as 
they  see  every  day,  that  I  am  almost  sorry  we  ever  under 
took  to  drive  them  out  at  all.     I  am  daily  more   and  more 
afraid  that  they  will  all  become  drunkards,  in  spite  of  all  I 
can  do,  and  I  sometimes  wish  I  had  them  safe  home,  where 
we  started  from.     You  have  no  idea  what  a  charge  I  have 
on  my  hands,  and  the  annoyance  1  have  about  the  front  of 
their  apartments  every  night,  from  women  who  are  beckon 
ing  them  down  from  their  windows  to  the  door,  and  even 
into  the  passages  and  streets.     They  seem  daily  to  be  losing 
their  respect  lor  me,  and  I  find  it  every  day  more  and  more 
difficult  to  control  them."     "  And  so  you  will  continue  to 
find  it,"  said  I,  "  unless  privileges  and  freedom  to  a  reason 
able   extent  are  granted  to  them,  while  they  are  strictly 
adhering    to  the  solemn  promises  and  restraints  we  have 
laid  them  under.       These  people  have  come  here  under 
your  promises  to  show  them  everything   you  can,  and  to 
teach  them  how  the  civilized  world  live  and  act.      They 
have  reposed  the  highest  confidence  in  you  to  take  care  of 
and  protect  them,  and  in  return  they  have  solemnly  pro 
mised  to  conduct  themselves  properly  and  soberly;   and  as 
long  as  they  adhere  to  that,  you  should  not  let  them  doubt 
your  confidence   in  them,  by  fearing  to  show  them  some 
parts  of  the  shades  as  well  as  the  lights  of  civilization. 
They    are    here    to    learn    the    ways   of   civilization,    and 
I  should  deem  it  wrong  to  deny  them  the  privilege,  if  they 
ask  for  it,  of  seeing  such  parts  of  it  as  you  and  myself  would 
go  to  see.     I  have  been  to  see  the  'hells  of  London'  myself, 
and  would  much  sooner  take  my  son  there,  and  there  give 
him  the   most  impressive  lesson  in  morality,  than  forbid 
him  to  go,  expressing  to  him  my  fears  of  his  contamination. 
These  people  are   like  children  in  some  respects,  and  they 
are  men  in  others  ;  and  while  I  fully  appreciate  all  your 
noble    attachment  to  them,  and  your  anxieties  for  them, 

VOL.  II.  II 


98  INDIANS  DISSUADED  FROM  VISITING  HELLS. 

with  the  knowledge  I  have  gained  of  the  Indian  character, 
I  feel  assured  that  as  they  are  brought  here  to  be  shown 
everything  of  civilization.,  to  restrict  them  in  seeing  the 
parts  of  it  they  desire  to  see,  will  be  to  exhibit  to  them  a 
want  of  confidence  which  would  be  apt  to  lead  to  worse  and 
more  injurious  results  before  you  get  home  with  them.  I 
should  have  been  very  far  from  mentioning  such  places  to 
them,  or  the  many  other  dens  of  iniquity  which  exist  in  the 
great  city  of  London  and  the  cities  of  our  own  country,  and 
which  I  hope  they  may  remain  strangers  to ;  but  they  having 
heard  of  the  hells  of  London,  and  expressed  a  desire  to  see 
them,  I  should  feel  no  hesitation  in  giving  Jim  and  the 
Doctor  a  peep  into  them,  instead  of  representing  them  (as  the 
means  of  keeping  them  away  from  them)  as  being  a  much 
greater  degradation  of  human  nature  than  they  actually  are." 
Good,  kind  Melody  looked  so  much  distressed,  that  I 
finished  my  arguments  here,  and  told  him  to  "  rest  quite 
easy ;  there  was  a  way  by  which  we  could  get  over  it, 
and  I  not  break  my  promise  with  Jim  and  the  Doctor. 
That  a  friend  of  mine  who  had  been  into  them  recently 
and  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life,  wrould  have  a  talk  with 
them  on  the  subject  in  a  few  days,  and  all  would  be  right.* 

*  This  unfortunate  "friend  of  mine"  called  the  next  day,  with  a  hand 
kerchief  tied  over  one  eye,  and  one  arm  in  a  sling ;  and  while  we  happened 
to  be  talking  of  their  intended  visit  to  some  of  the  "  hells,"  he  took  occasion 
to  exclaim  at  once,  "  My  good  fellows,  let  me  advise  you,  go  and  see  every 
thing  else  in  London,  but  take  especial  care  you  don't  go  into  any  of  those 
infernal  regions,  and  get  served  as  I  have  been,  or  ten  times  worse,  for  I 
was  lucky  that  I  didn't  lose  my  life."  "  Then  you  have  seen  them  ?  " 
said  I.  "  Seen  them  ?  yes,  I  saw,  till  I  was  knocked  down  three  or  four 
times,  and  my  pockets  picked,  after  I  paid  out  to  those  infernal  demons 
fifteen  pounds ;  so  I  lost  about  thirty  pounds  altogether,  and  have  not  been 
able  to  see  since.  Nat  B — n  of  New  York  was  with  me,  and  he  got  off 
much  worse  than  I  did ;  he  was  carried  home  for  dead  and  hasn't  been 
out  of  his  room  since.  When  I  get  a  little  better,  my  good  fellows,  I  will 
give  you  a  long  accountfof  what  we  saw,  and  I'll  venture  you  never  will 
want  to  risk  your  heads  there."  My  friend  here  left  us,  and  Jim  and  the 
Doctor  had  evidently  changed  their  minds  about  going  to  see  the  "  Hells 
of  London." 


INDIANS  COUNT  GIN-PALACES.  99 

As  for  the  joke  they  are  on  to-day,  about  the  gin-shops, 
I  don't  see  the  least  harm  in  it.  They  must  have  some 
thing  to  laugh  at,,  and  while  they  are  getting  their  usual 
daily  ride  in  the  open  air,  they  are  passing  one  of  the  best 
comments  that  ever  was  made  upon  one  of  the  greatest 
vices  of  the  greatest  city  in  the  world." 

The  simple  old  Doctor,  in  his  curious  cogitations  amidst  the 
din  of  civilised  excitements,  while  he  had  been  ogling  the 
thousands  of  ladies  and  gin-palaces,,  and  other  curious  things 
all  together,  from  the  pinnacle  of  his  bus,  had  brought  home 
one  day  in  round  numbers  the  total  amount  of  chickabobbooags 
that  he  had  seen  during  the  hour's  drive  on  one  morning. 
The  enormous  amount  of  these,  when  added  up,  seemed  too 
great  for  the  most  credulous ;  and  Jim,  seeming  to  think 
that  the  Doctor  had  counted  the  ladies  instead  of  the  grog 
shops,  disputed  the  correctness  of  his  report,  which  had  led 
to  the  result  that  was  being  carried  out  to-day,  by  some 
pretty  spirited  betting  between  the  Doctor,  Jim,  Daniel, 
and  Jeffrey,  as  to  the  number  of  gin  palaces  (chickabobbooags) 
they  should  pass  on  their  way  from  St.  James's  Street  to 
Blackwall  (where  they  had  curiosity  to  taste  "  white  bait "), 
and  back  again  by  a  different  route,  taking  Euston  Station  in 
their  way  as  they  returned.  For  this  purpose  it  was  arranged 
that  the  Doctor  and  Jim  should  take  their  customary  seats 
with  the  driver;  and  Roman  Nose  and  the  Little  tFolfmside 
of  the  bus,  where  there  was  less  to  attract  their  attention, 
should  each  take  his  side  of  the  street,  counting  as  they  passed 
them,  while  the  old  War-chief  should  notch  them  on  a  stick 
which  they  had  prepared  for  the  purpose,  having  Daniel  and 
Jeffrey  by  their  sides  to  see  that  there  was  no  mistake. 

The  amusements  of  this  gigantic  undertaking  were  not 
to  be  even  anticipated  until  they  got  back,  nor  its  difficulties 
exactly  appreciated  until  they  appeared  in  the  prosecution 
of  the  design.  At  starting  off,  the  Roman  Nose  and  Little 
IFolftook  their  positions  on  opposite  seats,  each  one  appro 
priating  a  pane  of  glass  for  his  observations,  and  the  old 
War- chief  with  his  deal  stick  in  one  hand  and  a  knife  in 

H2 


100  INDIANS  COUNT  GIN-PALACES. 

the  other;  and  in  this  way  they  were  ready  for,  and  com 
menced  operations.  Each  one  as  he  passed  a  gin-shop, 
called  out  "  chickabobbooay  /"  and  the  old  chief  cut  a  notch. 
This  at  first  seemed  to  be  quite  an  easy  thing,  and  even 
allowed  the  old  man  an  occasional  moment  to  look  around 
and  observe  the  direction  in  which  they  were  going,  while 
the  two  amusing  chubs  who  were  outside  could  pass  an 
occasional  remark  or  two  upon  the  ladies  as  they  were  com 
mencing  to  keep  an  oral  account,  to  corroborate  or  correct 
the  records  that  were  making  inside.  As  they  gradually 
receded  from  the  temperate  region  of  St.  James's  (having 
by  an  ignorant  oversight  overlooked  the  numerous  club 
houses),  their  labours  began  to  increase,  and  the  old  War- 
chief  had  to  ply  his  knife  with  precision  and  quickness ;  the 
two  companions  outside  stopped  all  further  conversation, 
holding  on  to  their  fingers  for  tens,  hundreds,  &c.  The 
word  chickabobbooag  was  now  so  rapidly  repeated  at  times 
inside  (and  oftentimes  by  both  parties  at  once),  that  the  old 
chief  found  the  greatest  difficulty  in  keeping  his  record 
correct.  The  parties  all  kept  at  their  posts,  and  attended 
strictly  to  their  reckonings,  until  they  arrived  at  Blackwall. 
They  cast  up  none  of  their  accounts  there,  but  the  old  chiefs 
record  was  full — there  was  no  room  for  another  notch.  He 
procured  another  stick  for  the  returning  memorandums, 
and  the  route  back,  being  much  more  prolific  and  much  longer, 
filled  each  of  the  four  corners  of  his  new  stick,  and  when  it 
was  full  he  set  down  the  rest  of  his  sum  in  black  marks, 
with  a  pencil  and  paper  which  Daniel  took  from  his  pocket. 

The  reckoning,  when  they  got  back,  and  their  curious  re 
marks  upon  the  incidents  of  their  ride,  were  altogether  very 
amusing,  and  so  numerous  and  discordant  were  their  accounts, 
that  there  was  no  final  decision  agreed  upon  as  to  the  bets. 

Their  results  were  brought  in  thus  : 

War-chief notches     446 

Jim oral     432     doubtful  60 

Doctor oral     754     doubtful    0 

Average     544. 


LAST  EXHIBITION  IN  EGYPTIAN  HALL.  101 

What  route  they  took  I  never  was  able  to  learn,  but  such 
were  their  accounts  as  they  brought  them  in ;  and  as  it 
was  ascertained  that  the  Doctor  had  been  adding  to  his 
account  all  the  shops  where  he  saw  bottles  in  the  windows, 
it  was  decided  to  be  a  reasonable  calculation  that  he  had 
brought  into  the  account  erroneously  : 

Apothecaries  and  confectioners — say 300 

Leaving  the  average  of  all  together  (which  was  no  doubt 

very  near  the  thing)  Chickabobbooags 450 

So  ended  (after  the  half-hour's  jokes  they  had  about  it) 
this  novel  enterprise,  which  had  been  carried  out  with  great 
pains  and  much  fatigue,  and  in  which,  it  was  suggested  by 
them,  and  admitted  by  me,  they  had  well  earned  a  jug  of 
chickabobboo. 

The  settlement  of  this  important  affair  was  not  calculated 
by  any  means  to  lessen  the  Doctor's  curiosity  in  another 
respect,  and  which  has  been  alluded  to  before — his  desire  to 
visit  some  of  those  places,  to  see  the  manner  in  which  the 
chickabobboo  was  made.  I  put  him  at  rest  on  that  subject, 
however,  by  telling  him  that  there  was  none  of  it  made  at 
those  shops  where  it  was  sold,  but  that  I  had  procured  an 
order  to  admit  the  whole  party  to  one  of  the  greatest  brew 
eries  in  the  city,  where  the  chickabobboo  was  made,  and 
that  we  were  all  to  go  the  next  day  and  see  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  done.  This  information  seemed  to  give  great 
pleasure  to  all,  and  to  finish  for  the  present  the  subject  of 
chickabobboo. 

The  night  of  this  memorable  day  I  had  announced  as  the 
last  night  of  the  Indians  at  the  Egyptian  Hall,  arrange 
ments  having  been  effected  for  their  exhibitions  to  be  made  a 
few  days  in  Vauxhall  Gardens  before  leaving  London  for  some 
of  the  provincial  towns.  This  announcement,  of  course, 
brought  a  dense  crowd  into  the  Hall,  and  in  it,  as  usual,  the 
"jolly  fat  dame,"  and  many  of  my  old  friends,  to  take  their 
last  gaze  at  the  Indians. 

The  amusements  were   proceeding   this   evening,    as   on 


102  WAR-CHIEF  RECOGNISES  BOBASHEELA. 

former  occasions,  when  a  sudden  excitement  was  raised  in 
the  following  manner.  In  the  midst  of  one  of  their  noisy 
dances,  the  War-chief  threw  himself,  with  a  violent  jump  and 
a  yell  of  the  shrill  war-whoop,  to  the  corner  of  the  platform, 
where  he  landed  on  his  feet  in  a  half-crouching  position, 
with  his  eyes,  and  one  of  his  forefingers,  fixed  upon  some 
thing  that  attracted  his  whole  attention  in  a  distant  part  of 
the  crowd.  The  dance  stopped — the  eyes  of  all  the  Indians, 
and  of  course  those  of  most  of  the  crowd,  were  attracted  to 
the  same  point ;  the  eyes  of  the  old  War-chief  were  standing 
open,  and  in  a  full  blaze  upon  the  object  before  him,,  which 
nobody  could  well  imagine,  from  his  expression,  to  be  any 
thing  less  exciting  than  a  huge  panther,  or  a  grizly  bear, 
in  the  act  of  springing  upon  him.  After  staring  awhile,  and 
then  shifting  his  weight  upon  the  other  leg,  and  taking  a 
moment  to  wink,  for  the  relief  of  his  eyes,  he  resumed  the 
intensity  of  his  gaze  upon  the  object  before  him  in  the  crowd, 
and  was  indulging  during  a  minute  or  two  in  a  dead  silence, 
for  the  events  of  twenty  or  thirty  years  to  run  through  his 
mind,  when  he  slowly  straightened  up  to  a  more  confident 
position,  with  his  eyes  relaxed,  but  still  fixed  upon  their 
object,  when,  in  an  emphatic  and  ejaculatory  tone,  he  pro 
nounced  the  bewildering  word  of  Bobasheela  !  and  repeated 
it,  Bobasheela  ?  "  Yes,  I  'm  Bobasheela,  my  good  old  fellow  ! 
I  knew  your  voice  as  soon  as  you  spoke  (though  you  don't 
understand  English  yet)."  Chee-au-mung-ta-wangish-kee, 
Bobasheela.  "  My  friends,  will  you  allow  me  to  move  along 
towards  that  good  old  fellow  ?  he  knows  me  ;"  at  which  the 
old  chief  (not  of  a  hundred,  but)  of  many  battles,  gave  a 
yell,  and  a  leap  from  the  platform,  and  took  his  faithful 
friend  Bobasheeta  in  his  arms,  and  after  a  lapse  of  thirty 
years,  had  the  pleasure  of  warming  his  cheek  against  that 
of  one  of  his  oldest  and  dearest  friends— one  whose  heart,  we 
have  since  found,  had  been  tried  and  trusted,  and  as  often 
requited,  in  the  midst  of  the  dense  and  distant  wildernesses 
of  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri.  Whilst  this 
extraordinary  interview  was  proceeding,  all  ideas  of  the 


N9    14, 


BOBASHEELA  AN  ENGLISHMAN.  103 

dance  were  for  the  time  lost  sight  of,  and  whilst  these  vete 
rans  were  rapidly  and  mutually  reciting  the  evidences  of 
their  bygone  days  of  attachment,  there  came  a  simultaneous 
demand  from  all  parts  of  the  room,  for  an  interpretation  of 
their  conversation,  which  I  gave  as  far  as  I  could  understand 
it,  and  as  far  as  it  had  then  progressed,  thus  : — The  old 
Sachem,  in  leading  off  his  favourite  war-dance,  suddenly 
fixed  his  eye  upon  a  face  in  the  crowd,  which  he  instantly 
recognized,  and  gazing  upon  it  a  moment,  decided  that  it 
was  the  well-known  face  of  an  old  friend,  with  whom  he  had 
spent  many  happy  days  of  his  early  life  on  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi  and  Missouri  rivers  in  America.  The  old  chief, 
by  appealing  to  this  gentleman's  familiar  Indian  cognomen 
of  Bobasheela,  brought  out  an  instant  proof  of  the  correct 
ness  of  his  recognition ;  and  as  he  held  him  by  both  hands, 
to  make  proof  doubly  strong,  he  made  much  merriment 
amongst  the  party  of  Indians,  by  asking  him  if  he  ever 
"  floated  down  any  part  of  the  great  Mississippi  river  in  the 
night,  astride  of  two  huge  logs  of  wood,  with  his  legs  hang 
ing  in  the  water?"  To  which  Bobasheela  instantly  replied 
in  the  affirmative.  After  which,  and  several  medicine 
phrases,  and  masonic  grips  and  signs  had  passed  between 
them,  the  dance  was  resumed,  and  the  rest  of  the  story,  as 
well  as  other  anecdotes  of  the  lives  of  these  extraordinary 
personages  postponed  to  the  proper  time  and  place,  when 
and  where  the  reader  will  be  sure  to  hear  them. 

The  exhibition  for  the  evening  being  over,  Bobasheela 
was  taken  home  with  the  Indians,  to  their  lodgings,  to  smoke 
a  pipe  with  them  ;  and  having  had  the  curiosity  to  be  of  the 
party,  I  was  enabled  to  gather  the  following  further  in 
formation.  This  Bobasheela  (Mr.  J.  H.,  a  native  of  Cornwall) 
(Plate  No.  14),  who  is  now  spending  the  latter  part  of  a  very 
independent  bachelor's  life  amongst  his  friends  in  London,  left 
his  native  country  as  long  ago  as  the  year  1805,  and  making 
his  way,  like  many  other  bold  adventurers,  across  the  Alle- 
ghany  Mountains  in  America,  descended  into  the  great  and 
almost  boundless  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  in  hopes  by  his 


104  BOBASHEELA'S  TRAVELS  IN  THE  FAR  WEST. 

indefatigable  industry,  and  daring  enterprise,  to  share  in 
the  products  that  must  find  their  way  from  that  fertile 
wilderness  valley  to  the  civilized  world. 

In  this  arduous  and  most  perilous  pursuit,  he  repeatedly 
ascended  and  descended  in  his  bark  canoe — his  pirogue  or  his 
Mackinaw  boat,  the  Ohio,  the  Muskingham,  the  Cumber 
land,,  the  Tennessee,  the  Arkansas,  the  Missouri,  and  Missis 
sippi  rivers ;  and  amongst  the  thousand  and  one  droll  and 
amusing  incidents  of  thirty  years  spent  in  such  a  sort  of  life., 
was  the  anecdote  which  the  War-chief  alluded  to,  in  the 
unexpected  meeting  with  his  old  friend  in  my  exhibition- 
room,,  and  which  the  two  parties  more  fully  related  to  me  in 
this  evening's  interview.  The  good-natured  Mr.  H.  told 
me  that  the  tale  was  a  true  one,  and  the  awkward  pre 
dicament  spoken  of  by  the  War-chief  was  one  that  he  was 
actually  placed  in  when  his  acquaintance  first  began  with 
his  good  friend. 

Though  the  exhibition  had  kept  us  to  a  late  hour,  the 
greetings  and  pleasing  reminiscences  to  be  gone  over  by 
these  two  reclaimed  friends,  and  (as  they  called  themselves) 
"  brothers  "  of  the  "  Far  West/'  over  repeatedly  charged 
pipes  of  k'nick  k'neck,  were  pleasing,  and  held  us  to  a  most 
unreasonable  hour  at  night.  When  the  chief,  amongst  his 
rapid  interrogations  to  Bobaslieela,  asked  him  if  he  had  pre 
served  his  she- she -quoin,  he  gave  instant  relief  to  the  mind 
of  his  friend,  from  which  the  lapse  of  time  and  changes  of 
society  had  erased  the  recollection  of  the  chiefs  familiar 
name,  She-she- quoi-me-gon,\>y  which  his  friend  had  christened 
him,  from  the  circumstance  of  his  having  presented  him  a 
she-she-quoin  (or  mystery  rattle),  the  customary  badge 
bestowed  Avhen  any  one  is  initiated  into  the  degree  of 
"doctor  "or  "  brother." 

From  the  forms  and  ceremonies  which  my  good  friend 
Bobasheela  had  gone  through,  it  seems  (as  his  name  indicates) 
that  he  stood  in  the  relationship  of  brother  to  the  chief;  and 
although  the  chief's  interrogations  had  produced  him  plea 
sure  in  one  respect,  one  can  easily  imagine  him  much  pained 


BOBASHEELA'S  STORY.  105 

in  another,  inasmuch  as  he  was  obliged  to  acknowledge  that 
his  sacred  badge,  his  she-she-quoin,  had  been  lost  many  years 
since,  by  the  sinking  of  one  of  his  boats  on  the  Cumberland 
river.  For  his  standing  in  the  tribe,  such  an  event  might 
have  been  of  an  irretrievable  character  ;  but  for  the  renewed 
and  continued  good  fellowship  of  his  friend  in  this  country, 
the  accident  proved  to  be  one  of  little  moment,  as  will  be 
learned  from  various  incidents  recited  in  the  following 
pages. 

In  this  first  evening's  interview  over  the  pipe,  my  friend 
Mr.  H.,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  party  of  Indians,  and 
of  Daniel  and  the  squaws,  who  had  gathered  around  us,  as 
well  as  several  of  my  London  friends,  related  the  story  of 
"  floating  down  the  Mississippi  river  on  two  logs  of  wood," 
&c.,  as  follows  : — 

"  This  good  old  fellow  and  I  formed  our  first  acquaintance  in  a  very  cu 
rious  way,  and  when  you  hear  me  relate  the  manner  of  it,  I  am  quite  sure 
you  will  know  how  to  account  for  his  recognizing  me  this  evening,  and  for 
the  pleasure  we  have  both  felt  at  thus  unexpectedly  meeting.  In  the  year 
1806  I  happened  to  be  on  a  visit  to  St.  Louis,  and  thence  proceeded  up 
the  Missouri  to  the  mouth  of  the  *  Femme  Osage '  to  pay  a  visit  to  my  old 
friend  Daniel  Boone,  who  had  a  short  time  before  left  his  farm  in  Ken 
tucky  and  settled  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri,  in  the  heart  of  an  entire 
wilderness,  to  avoid  the  constant  annoyance  of  the  neighbours  who  had 
flocked  into  the  country  around  him  in  Kentucky.  The  place  for  his  fu 
ture  abode,  which  he  had  selected,  was  in  a  rich  and  fertile  country,  and 
forty  or  fifty  miles  from  any  white  inhabitants,  where  he  was  determined 
to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days,  believing  that  for  the  rest  of  his 
life  he  would  be  no  more  annoyed  by  the  familiarity  of  neighbours.  I 
spent  several  weeks  very  pleasantly  with  the  old  pioneer,  who  had  inten 
tionally  built  his  log  cabin  so  small,  with  only  one  room  and  one  bed  for 
himself  and  his  wife,  that  even  his  best  friends  should  not  break  upon  the 
sacred  retirement  of  his  house  at  night,  but  having  shared  his  hospitable 
board  during  the  day  were  referred  to  the  cabin  of  his  son,  Nathan  Boone, 
about  four  hundred  yards  distant,  where  an  extra  room  and  an  extra  bed 
afforded  them  the  means  of  passing  the  night. 

"  The  old  hunter  and  his  son  were  thus  living  very  happily,  and  made  me 
comfortable  and  happy  whilst  I  was  with  them.  The  anecdotes  of  his  ex 
traordinary  life,  which  were  talked  over  for  amusement  during  that  time, 
were  enough  to  fill  a  volume.  The  venerable  old  man,  whose  long  and 
flowing  locks  were  silvery  white,  was  then  in  his  78th  year,  and  still  he  al 
most  daily  took  down  his  trusty  rifle  from  its  hooks  in  the  morning,  and  in 


100  KOBASHRKLAS  STOKY. 

a  little  lime  would  brine  in  a  saddle  of  venison  for  our  breakfast,  and  thus 
ho  chieriy  supported  his  affectionate  old  lady  and  himself,  and  the  tew  friends 
who  found  their  way  to  his  solitary  abode,  without  concern  or  care  tor  :he 
future.  The  stump  of  a  large  cotton-wood  tree,  which  had  been  cut  down. 
was  left  standing  in  the  ground,  and  being  cut  square  otf  on  the  top.  And 
his  cabin  being:  built  around  it.  answered  the  purpose  of  a  table  in  the 
centre  of  his  cabin,  from  which  our  meals  were  eaten.  When  1  made  my 
visit  to  him.  he  had  been  living  several  year?  in  this  ret.irtxi  state  and  been 
perfectly  happy  in  the  undisturbed  solitude  of  the  wilderness,  but  told  me 
several  times  that  he  was  becoming  very  uneasy  and  distressed,  as  he  found 
that  his  day?  of  peaee  were  nearly  over,  as" two  Yankee  families  had  already 
found  the  way  into  the  country,  and  one  of  them  had  actually  settled  with  n 
nine  mile*  of  him. 

"  Having  finished  my  visit  to  this  veteran  and  his  son.  I  mounted  my 
horse,  and  taking  leave  follow ed  an  Indian  trail  to  the  town  of  St.  Charles. 
some  thirty  or  forty  miles  below ,  on  the  north  banks  of  the  Missouri.  1 
here  visited  some  old  friends  with  whom  I  had  become  acquainted  on  the 
lower  Mississippi  in  former  years,  and  intending  to  descend  the  river  irvmi 
that  to  St,  Louis  by  a  boat  had  sold  my  horse  when  1  arrived  there.  IV- 
tore  I  was  ready  to  embark,  however,  an  old  friend  of  mine.  Lieutenant 
Pike,  who  had  just  returned  from  his  exploring  expedition  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  had  passed  up  from  St,  Louis  to  a  small  settlement  formed  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  and  a  lew  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the 
Missouri,  to  attend  a  wedding  which  was  to  take  place  on  the  very  evening 
that  I  had  received  the  information  of  it.  and  like  himself,  being  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  young  man  who  was  to  be  married.  I  resolved  to  be  pre 
sent  if  possible,  though  I  had  had  no  invitation  to  attend,  it  not  being  known 
to  the  parties  that  I  was  in  that  part  of  the  country.  The  spot  where  the 
wedding  was  to  take  place  being  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  on  my  route 
to  St,  Louis,  I  endeavoured  to  procure  a  canoe  for  the  purpose,  but  not 
being  able  to  get  such  a  thing  in  St,  Charles  at  that  time  for  love  or  money. 
and  stiil  resolved  to  beat  the  wedding.  I  succeeded  in  rolling  a  couple  of 
large  log?  into  the  stream,  which  laid  upon  the  shore  in  front  of  the  village. 
and  lashing  them  firmly  together,  took  a  paddle  from  the  first  boat  that  1 
could  meet,  and  svating  myself  astride  of  the  two  lot?  I  pushed  on0  into  the 
muddy  current  of  the  Missouri,  and  was  soon  swept  away  out  of  si^ht  of  the 
town  of  St.  Charles.  My  embarkation  was  a  little  before  sundown,  and 
having  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  to  rioat  before  I  should  be  upon  the  waters  of 
the  Mississippi,  I  was  in  the  midst  of  my  journey  overtaken  by  night,  and 
had  to  navigate  my  floating  logs  a*  well  as  I  cou'.d  among  the  snags  and 
sandbars  that  fell  in  my  way.  I  was  lucky,  however,  in  escaping  them 
all.  though  I  sometimes  grazed  them  as  I  passed,  and  within  a  few  inches 
of  being  hurled  to  destruction.  I  at  length  entered  the  broad  waters  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  a  few  miles  below  on  the  left  bank  saw  the  light  in  the  ca 
bins  in  which  the  merry  circle  of  my  friends  were  assembled,  and  with  all 
my  might  was  plying  my  paddle  to  propel  my  two  logs  to  the  shore.  In 


BOBASHEELA'8  STOIiY.  107 

the  rnidst  of  my  hard  struggle  I  discovered  several  objects  on  my  right  and 
ahead  of  me,  which  seemed  to  rx;  rapidly  approaching  me,  and  I  concluded 
that  I  was  drifting  on  to  rooks  or  snags  that  were  in  a  moment  to  destroy 
in--.  lint  in  an  instant  one  of  these  supposed  snags  silently  shot  along  by 

the  side  of  my  logs,  and  being  a  canoe  with  four  Indians  in  it,  and  all  with 
their  Ixnvs  and  war-clubs  drawn  upon  rne,  they  gavu  the  signal  for  silence, 
as  one;  of  them,  a  tall,  long-armed,  and  powerful  man,  seized  ma  by  the  col 
lar.  Having  partially  learned  several  of  the  languages  of  the  Indian  triln-s 
bordering  on  the  Mississippi,  I  understood  him  as  he  said  in  the  loway  lan 
guage,  '  Not  a  word  !  if  you  sjx^ak  you  die  ! '  At  that  moment  a  dozen 
or  more  canoes  were  all  drawn  close  around  mv  two  logs  of  wood,  astride 
of  which  I  sat,  with  rny  legs  in  the  water  up  to  my  knees.  These  canoe* 
were  all  filled  with  warriors  with  their  weapons  in  their  hands,  and  no 
women  being  with  them,  I  saw  they  were  a  war  j»arty,  and  prej»aring  for 
pome  mischief.  Finding  that  I  understood  their  language  and  could  sjjeak 
a  few  words  with  them,  the  warrior  who  still  held  me  bv  the  collar  made 
a  .sign  to  the  oilier  canoes  to  fall  back  a  little  while  he  addressed  me  in  a 
low  voice.  '  Do  you  know  the  white  chief  who  is  visiting  his  friends  this 
night  on  the  bank  yonder  where  we  see  the  lights  'I  '  to  which  I  replied 
;  Yes,  he  is  an  old  friend  of  mine.'  '  Well,'  said  he,  '  he  dies  to-night, 
and  all  those  wi^-wams  are  to  be  laid  in  ashes.  Stet-f.-no-ha  was  a  cousin 
of  mine,  and  (jue-tun-ha  was  a  good  man,  and  a  friend  to  the  white  jx:ople. 
The  pale  faces  hung  them  like  two  dogs  by  their  necks,  and  the  life  of 
your  friend,  the  white  warrior,  |>ays  the  forfeit  this  night,  and  many  may 
be  the  women  and  children  who  will  die  by  his  side  ! '  I  explained  to  him 
as  well  as  I  could  that  my  friend,  Lieutenant  Pike,  had  had  no  hand  in  the 
execution  of  the  two  Indians  ;  that  they  were  hung  below  St.  Louis  when 
Lieutenant  Pike  was  on  his  way  home  from  the  Rocky  Mountains.  I  told 
him  also  that  Lieutenant  Pike  was  a  great  friend  of  the  Indians,  and  would 
do  anything  to  aid  or  please  them  ;  that  he  had  gone  over  the  river  that 
night  to  attend  the  wedding  of  a  friend,  and  little  dreamed  that  amongst  the 
Indians  he  had  any  enemies  who  would  raise  their  hands  against  him. 

•;  '  My  friend,'  said  he,  '  you  have  said  enough  :  if  you  tell  me  that  your 
friend,  or  the  friend  or  the  enemy  of  any  man,  takes  the  hand  of  a  fair 
daughter  on  that  ground  to-night,  an  loway  chief  will  not  offend  the  Great 
Spirit  by  raising  the  war-crv  there.  No  loway  can  spill  the  blood  of  an 
cue  rny  on  the  ground  where  the  hands  and  the  hearts  of  man  and  woman 
are  joined  together.  This  is  the  command  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  an  loway 
warrior  cannot  break  it.  My  friend,  these  warriors  you  see  around  me  with 
rnvself  had  sworn  to  kill  the  first  human  being  we  met  on  our  war  excur 
sion  ;  we  shall  not  harm  you,  so  you  see  that  I  give  you  your  life.  You 
will  therefore  keep  your  lijxs  shut,  and  we  will  return  in  peace  to  our  vil 
lage,  which  is  far  up  the  river,  and  we  snail  hereafter  meet  our  friends,  the 
white  people,  in  the  great  city,*  as  we  have  heretofore  done,  and  we  have 


•  St  Loub. 


108  BOBASHEELA'S  STORY. 

many  friends  there.  We  shall  do  no  harm  to  any  one.  My  face  is  now 
blackened,  and  the  night  is  dark,  therefore  you  cannot  know  me;  but  this 
arrow  you  will  keep — it  matches  with  all  the  others  in  my  quiver,  and  by  it 
you  can  always  recognize  me,  but  the  meeting  of  this  night  is  not  to  be 
known.'  He  gave  me  the  arrow,  and  with  these  words  turned  his  canoe, 
and  joining  his  companions  was  in  a  moment  out  of  sight.  My  arrow  being 
passed  under  my  hat-band,  and  finding  that  the  current  had  by  this  time 
drifted  me  down  a  mile  or  two  below  the  place  where  I  designed  to  land, 
and  beyond  the  power  of  reaching  it  with  my  two  awkward  logs  of  wood, 
I  steered  my  course  onward  toward  St.  Louis,  rapidly  gliding  over  the  sur 
face  of  the  broad  river,  and  arrived  safely  at  the  shore  in  front  of  the  town 
at  a  late  hour  in  the  night,  having  drifted  a  distance  of  more  than  thirty- 
five  miles.  My  two  logs  were  an  ample  price  for  a  night's  lodging,  and 
breakfast  and  dinner  the  next  day  ;  and  I  continued  my  voyage  in  a  Macki 
naw  boat  on  the  same  day  to  Vide  Pouche,  a  small  French  town  about 
twenty  miles  below,  where  my  business  required  my  presence.  The  wed 
ding  party  proceeded  undisturbed,  and  the  danger  they  had  been  in  was 
never  made  known  to  them,  as  I  promised  the  War-chief,  who  gave  me  as 
the  condition  of  my  silence  the  solemn  promise,  that  he  would  never  carry 
his  feelings  of  revenge  upon  innocent  persons  any  farther. 

"  Thus  ends  the  story  of '  floating  down  the  Mississippi  River  on  the  two 
logs  of  wood,'  which  the  War-chief  alluded  to  in  the  question  he  put  to  me 
this  evening.  On  a  subsequent  occasion,  some  two  or  three  years  after 
wards,  while  sitting  in  the  office  of  Governor  Clark,  the  superintendent  of 
Indian  affairs  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  was  holding  '  a  talk '  with  a  party  of 
Indians,  a  fine-looking  fellow,  of  six  feet  or  more  in  stature,  fixed  his  eyes 
intently  upon  me,  and  after  scanning  me  closely  for  a  few  moments,  ad 
vanced,  and  seating  himself  on  the  floor  by  the  side  of  me,  pronounced  the 
word  '  Bobasheela,'  and  asked  me  if  ever  I  had  received  an  arrow  from  the 
quiver  of  an  Indian  warrior.  The  mutual  recognition  took  place  by  my 
acknowledging  the  fact,  and  a  shake  of  the  hand,  and  an  amusing  conversa 
tion  about  the  circumstances,  and  still  the  facts  and  the  amusement  all  kept 
to  ourselves.  This  step  led  to  the  future  familiarities  of  our  lives  in  the  va 
rious  places  where  the  nature  of  my  business  led  me  into  his  society,  and 
gained  for  me  the  regular  adoption  as  Bobasheela  (or  Brother)  and  the 
badge  (the  she-she-quoin,  or  Mystery  Rattle)  alluded  to  in  the  previous 
remarks,  and  which,  it  has  been  already  stated,  was  lost  by  the  sinking  of 
one  of  my  boats  on  the  Cumberland  River." 

There  was  a  burst  of  laughter  and  mirth  amongst  the 
squaws  and  others  of  us  who  had  listened  to  this  curious 
tale,  and,  as  the  reader  will  easily  decide,  a  great  deal  of 
pleasure  produced  by  its  relation.  The  supper-table  by 
this  time  was  ready,  and  Bobasheela  took  a  seat  by  the  side 
of  his  old  friend.  The  author  was  also  in  the  humour.,  and 


INDIANS  VISIT  A  GREAT  BREWERY.  109 

joined  them  at  their  beef-steak  and  chickabobboo,  and  so  did 
Mr.  Melody  and  Daniel,  and  all  who  had  joined  in  the 
merriment  of  the  occasion  of  Bobasheelas  relation  of  the 
story  of  his  going  to  the  wedding  astride  of  the  two  logs  of 
wood.  After  the  supper  was  over,  and  while  the  pipe  was 
passing  around,  a  number  of  other  recitals  of  adventures  in 
the  "Far- West"  continued  the  amusements  of  the  evenino- 

o 

to  a  late  hour,  when  the  author  retired  and  left  them  to 
their  own  jokes  and  their  night's  rest. 

The  next  morning  after  this  was  an  exciting  and  bustling 
one,  as  all  were  preparing,  at  an  early  hour,  to  visit  the 
great  brewery  on  that  day,  as  had  been  promised ;  and  on 
their  way  back  to  see  the  Thames  Tunnel,  and  the  treasures 
of  the  Tower  of  London.  One  will  easily  see  that  here  was  a 
gigantic  day's  work  struck  out,  and  that  material  enough  was 
at  hand  for  my  note-book.  Bobasheela  must  be  of  this  party, 
and  therefore  was  not  left  behind :  with  all  in  (except 
the  two  bucks,  who  habitually  went  outside),  the  Indian 
bus,  with  four  horses,  was  a  travelling  music  box  as  it 
passed  rapidly  through  the  streets  ;  and  the  clouds  of  smoke 
issuing  from  it  at  times  often  spread  the  alarm  that  "  she 
was  all  on  fire  within "  as  she  went  by.  At  the  brewery, 
where  they  had  been  invited  by  the  proprietors,  servants 
in  abundance  were  in  readiness  to  turn  upon  their  giant 
hinges  the  great  gates,  and  pass  the  carriage  into  the 
court ;  and  at  the  entrance  to  the  grand  fountain  of 
chickabobboo  there  were  servants  to  receive  them  and  an 
nounce  their  arrival,  when  they  were  met,  and  with  the 
greatest  politeness  and  kindness  led  by  one  of  the  pro 
prietors,  and  an  escort  of  ladies,  through  the  vast  labyrinths 
and  mazes,  through  the  immense  halls  and  courts,  and  under 
and  over  the  dry-land  bridges  and  arches  of  this  smoking, 
steeping,  and  steaming  wonder  of  the  world,  as  they  were 
sure  to  call  it  when  they  got  home.  The  vastness  and  com 
pleteness  of  this  huge  manufactory,  or,  in  fact,  village  of 
manufactures,  illustrated  and  explained  in  all  its  parts  and 
all  its  mysterious  modes  of  operation,  formed  a  subject  of 


110  WAR-DANCE  IN  A  VAT. 

amazement  in  our  own  as  well  as  the  Indians'  minds — diffi 
cult  to  be  described,  and  never  to  be  forgotten. 

When  the  poor  untutored  Indians,  from  the  soft  and 
simple  prairies  of  the  Missouri,  seated  themselves  upon  a 
beam,  and  were  looking  into  and  contemplating  the  im 
mensity  of  a  smoking  steeping- vat,  containing  more  than  3000 
barrels,  and  were  told  that  there  were  130  others  of  various 
dimensions  in  the  establishment — that  the  whole  edifice 
covered  twelve  acres  of  ground,  and  that  there  were  necos- 
sarily  constantly  on  hand  in  their  cellars  232,000  barrels  of 
ale,  and  also  that  this  was  only  one  of  a  great  number  of 
breweries  in  London,  and  that  similar  manufactories  were  in 
every  town  in  the  kingdom,  though  on  a  less  scale,  they  began, 
almost  for  the  first  time  since  their  arrival,  to  evince 
profound  astonishment ;  and  the  fermentation  in  their  minds, 
as  to  the  consistency  of  white  man's  teachings  of  temperance 
and  manufacturing  and  selling  ale,  seemed  not  less  than 
that  which  was  going  on  in  the  vast  abyss  below  them. 
The  pipe  was  lit  and  passed  around  while  they  were  in 
this  contemplative  mood,  and  as  their  ears  were  open, 
they  got,  in  the  meantime,  further  information  of  the  won 
derful  modes  and  operations  of  this  vast  machine  ;  and  also, 
in  round  numbers,  read  from  a  report  by  one  of  the  pro 
prietors,  the  quantity  of  ale  consumed  in  the  kingdom 
annually.  Upon  hearing  this,  which  seemed  to  cap  the 
climax  of  all  their  astonishment,  they  threw  down  the  pipe, 
and  leaping  into  an  empty  vat,  suddenly  dissipated  the  pain 
of  their  mental  calculations  by  joining  in  the  Medicine  (or 
Mystery)  Dance.  Their  yells  and  screaming  echoing  through 
the  vast  and  vapouring  halls,  soon  brought  some  hundreds 
of  maltsmen,  grinders,  firers,  mashers,  ostlers,  painters, 
coopers,  &c.,  peeping  through  and  amongst  the  blackened 
timbers  and  casks,  and  curling  and  hissing  fumes,  completing 
the  scene  as  the  richest  model  for  the  infernal  regions. 

Every  reader  will  paint  (and  must  paint)  this  picture  for 
himself,  imagining  the  steeping  vapour  everywhere  rising 
in  curling  clouds  of  white  towards  the  blackened  walls,  and 


INDIANS  VISIT  THE  TOWER.  Ill 

timbers,  and  wheels,  and  stairways,  and  arches,  and 
bridges,  and  casks,  and  from  amongst  and  between  all 
of  these,  the  blackened  faces  and  glaring  eyeballs  piercing 
through  the  steam,  upon  the  unusual,  and  to  them  as 
yet  unaccountable,  fermentation  going  on  (to  the  admiration 
and  amusement  of  those  who  were  in  the  secret)  in  the 
empty  vat ! 

At  the  end  of  their  dance,  a  foaming  mug  of  the  delicious 
was  passed  around,  enabling  them  more  easily  and  lightly 
to  comprehend  the  wonders  of  this  mighty  scene ;  and  after 
they  had  finished  their  round,  and  seen  its  varied  mysteries, 
a  huge  and  delicious  beefsteak,  and  foaming  mugs  of  the 
cream  of  chickabobboo,  prepared  for  them  by  the  kind  lady 
of  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  establishment,  soon  smoothed 
off  all  the  edges  of  their  astonishment ;  and  after  the  war- 
dance  and  the  war-whoop,  given  to  please  the  ladies,  they 
again  passed  under  the  huge  arches  and  gateways,  and  took 
their  omnibus  for  a  visit  to  the  Tower. 

The  mood  in  which  these  good-natured  fellows  had  left 
the  brewery  wras  a  very  merry  one ;  they  had  got  just  ale 
enough  for  the  present  emergency,  and  seen  an  abundant 
and  infallible  source  at  the  great  fountain  of  chickabobboo 
to  ensure  them  a  constant  supply,  and  seemed,  as  they 
passed  along  the  streets,  to  be  pleased  with  everything  they 
saw.  They  met  the  man  again  with  the  "big  nose,"  and 
succeeded  in  stopping  the  bus  to  take  a  good  look  at  his 
wonderful  proboscis.  As  the  bus  stopped,  he,  like  many 
others,  came  up  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  red  skins,  and 
they  all  declared,  on  close  examination,  that  his  nose  at> 
least  must  have  been  begot  by  a  potato ;  for,  as  the  women 
had  before  said,  they  could  distinctly  see  the  sprouts,  and 
Jim  and  the  Doctor  both  insisted,  that  "  if  it  were  planted 
it  would  sprout  and  grow." 

They  stopped  the  bus  again  to  speak  with  some  poor 
Lascars  sweeping  the  streets ;  it  was  difficult  to  get  any 
interpretation  from  them,  though  the  Indians  tried  their 


112  INDIANS  VISIT  THE  THAMES  TUNNEL. 

own  language  on  both  sides,  but  in  vain ;  they  gave  them 
fifteen  shillings,  and  passed  on. 

The  Tower,  from  its  outward  appearance,  did  not  seem 
to  excite  in  them  any  extravagant  expectation  of  what 
they  were  to  see  within  its  gloomy  walls.  They  remarked, 
when  going  in,  that  "  they  were  going  to  prison  ;"  and  they 
were  of  opinion,  no  doubt,  that  it  consisted  of  little  else,  as 
they  had  as  yet  heard  no  other  description  of  it  than  that 
it  was  the  "  Tower  of  London"  and  they  were  going  to  see 
it.  Poor  fellows  !  they  guessed  right ;  they  knew  not  of  the 
illustrious  prisoners  wTho  had  pined  within  its  gloomy  walls,, 
nor  of  the  blood  that  had  been  shed  within  and  around  it. 
They  went  to  see,  and  had  enough  to  engage  all  their 
thoughts  and  attention  without  referring  to  the  events 
of  history.  We  were  kindly  conducted  through  the  dif 
ferent  rooms,  and  most  of  its  curiosities  explained  to  us. 
The  "  small-arms  room,"  containing  200,000  muskets,  had 
been  burned.  The  ft  horse  armoury "  seemed  to  afford 
them  much  delight;  the  thousands  of  various  spears  and 
lances,  they  thought,  presented  some  beautiful  models  for 
Indian  warfare,  and  hunting  the  buffaloes.  The  beheading 
block,  on  which  Lords  Balmcrino,  Kilmarnock,  and  Lovat 
were  beheaded  in  the  Tower  in  1746,  attracted  their  atten 
tion,  and  the  axe  that  severed  the  head  of  Anne  Boleyn. 

In  the  Regalia  Room,  the  crown  of  her  Majesty  and  four 
other  crowns,  the  sceptres  and  staffs,  and  orbs,  swords  of 
justice,  swords  of  mercy,  royal  spurs,  salts,  baptismal  fonts, 
&c.,  in  massive  gold  and  brilliant  stones,  seemed  rather  to 
disappoint  than  to  astonish  them ;  and  to  us,  who  knew 
better  than  they  did  the  meaning  and  value  of  these  mag 
nificent  treasures,  there  seemed  a  striking  incongruity  in 
the  public  exhibition  of  them  in  so  confined  and  humble 
an  apartment. 

The  Thames  Tunnel  was  our  next  object,  and  a  drive  of 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  brought  us  to  the  dismal  neighbour 
hood  of  its  entrance.  Paying  our  fees,  and  descending 


INDIANS  VISIT  THE  THAMES  TUNNEL.  113 

some  hundred  or  more  steps  by  a  spiral  staircase,  we  were 
ready  to  enter  the  tunnel.  Walking  through  its  gloomy 
halls,  and  spending  a  few  shillings  for  toys  protruded  under 
our  faces  at  every  rod  we  advanced,  by  young  women  sitting 
at  their  little  stalls  under  each  of  its  arches,  we  at  length 
ascended  an  equal  number  of  steps,  and  came  to  the  light  of 
day  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Thames ;  and  in  the  midst  of 
one  of  the  most  unintelligible,  forlorn,  and  forsaken  districts 
of  London  or  the  world,  we  waited  half  an  hour  or  more  for 
our  omnibus  to  make  its  circuit  across  the  bridge  and 
take  us  up.  We  sauntered  and  loitered  our  way  through, 
and  as  long  as  we  were  passing  this  monster  speculation  of 
the  world,  we  met,  to  the  best  of  our  recollection,  but  four 
or  five  persons  passing  through,  who  had  paid  their  penny 
a-head  for  the  privilege. 

While  waiting  for  the  bus,  some  "  on-the-spot "  remarks 
were  made  by  the  Indians,  which  I  thought  had  some  sound 
sense  in  them.  They  thought  it  must  have  cost  a  great 
deal  of  money,  and  believed  it  was  too  far  out  of  London 
ever  to  pay;  and  they  did  not  see  that  it  was  any  curiosity 
for  them,  as  they  had  passed  through  several  on  the  railway 
ten  times  as  long.  They  did  not  think,  however,  that  it 
need  be  time  and  money  thrown  away,  as  "  they  thought  it 
might  make  a  first-rate  place  to  twist  ropes."  These  and 
other  remarks  they  were  making  about  the  great  tunnel  as 
we  were  jogging  along  towards  home,  and  evidently  some 
what  surprised  that  we  should  have  excited  their  curiosity 
so  high  about  it. 

On  our  return,  after  this  fatiguing  day's  work  was  finished, 
their  dinner  was  ready ;  and  after  that  their  pipe  was 
smoked,  a  nap  taken,  and  then  their  accustomed  amuse 
ments  in  the  Egyptian  Hall.  Their  supper  was  the  next 
thing,  and  with  it  their  mug  of  chickalobboo,  then  their 
pipe,  passing  around  as  they  all  reclined  on  their  buffalo 
robes  on  the  floor,  and  then  began  the  gossip  about  the 
sights  they  had  seen  and  incidents  they  had  witnessed  during 
the  day. 

VOL.   II.  I 


1 14  ARMS  ON  NOBLEMEN'S  HOUSES. 

This  extraordinary  day's  rambling  had  taken  them  across 
more  bridges  and  through  a  greater  number  of  crooked 
and  narrow  streets  than  they  had  passed  on  any  former 
occasion,  which  brought  the  Doctor  to  one  of  the  first 
and  shrewdest  remarks  of  the  evening.  He  said  "  he 
thought  from  all  that  he  had  seen,  sitting  on  top  of  the  bus 
all  day,  that  the  English  people  had  the  best  way  in  the 
world  for  crossing  rivers,  but  he  thought  their  paths  were 
many  of  them  too  narrow  and  much  too  crooked." 

"  The  poor  people,  and  those  who  seemed  to  be  drunk, 
were  much  more  numerous  than  they  had  seen  them  in  any 
other  of  their  drives ;"  and  they  were  counting  the  money 
left  in  their  pouches  to  see  how  much  they  had  thrown  out 
to  the  poor.  They  soon  agreed  that  "  they  had  given 
away  something  more  than  thirty  shillings,  which  they 
thought  would  do  a  great  deal  of  good,  and  the  Great  Spirit 
would  reward  them  for  it." 

The  Doctor  and  Jim,  the  everlasting  cronies,  on  the  out 
side,  were  comparing  their  estimates  of  the  numbers  they 
had  counted  of  the  "  Kon-to-too-ags  (fighters  with  one 
horn)*  that  they  had  seen  over  the  doors  and  shops  as  they 
had  passed  along,  which  they  had  been  looking  at  every  day 
since  they  came  to  London,  but  had  never  yet  been  able 
quite  to  learn  the  meaning  of,"  and  also  "  the  totems  (arms, 
as  they  supposed)  of  great  chiefs,  so  beautifully  painted 
and  put  out  between  their  chamber  windows." 

The  Doctor  said  "  he  believed  the  white  people  had  got 
this  custom  from  the  Indians,  as  it  was  the  habit  of  the 
great  chiefs  and  warriors  to  put  their  'totems'  over  their 
wig-warn  doors,  but  when  they  did  so,  they  always  put  out 
scalps  on  certain  days,  to  show  what  they  had  done.  He 
had  watched  these  totems  in  London  as  he  had  been  riding, 
in  all  sorts  of  weather,  and  as  he  had  seen  no  scalps  or  any 
thing  hung  out  by  the  side  of  them,  he  couldn't  exactly  see 
how  all  these  people  were  entitled  to  them ;  still,  it  might 

*  The  Royal  Arms  (the  Lion  and  the  Unicorn). 


INDIANS  SEE  DUKE  OF  WELLINGTON.  H5 

all  be  right."  Daniel  put  the  Doctor's  inquiries  all  at 
rest  on  the  subject  of  totems  and  the  "one-horn  fighters,," 
by  telling  him  that  if  he  would  wait  a  little  until  Mr. 
Catlin  and  Mr.  Melody  had  gone,  he  would  give  him  the 
whole  history  of  white  men's  totems,  how  they  got  them  and 
the  use  they  made  of  them ;  and  he  would  also  tell  him  all 
about  the  "  Lion  and  the  Unicorn  fighting  for  the  Crown/'  &c. 

The  Doctor  here  made  some  comments  on  the  great 
white  war-chief  (the  Duke  of  Wellington)  who  had  been 
pointed  out  to  them  on  horseback  as  they  passed  him  in  the 
street,  and  his  wig-warn  was  also  shown  to  them  (i.e.  to  the 
Doctor  and  Jim  as  they  sat  outside  with  the  driver). 
He  was  disposed  to  learn  something  more  of  him,  and 
Daniel  silenced  him  by  saying,  "  Let  that  alone  too  for 
awhile,  and  I  will  tell  you  all  about  him." 

Daniel  and  Jim  I  found  at  this  time  very  busily  engaged 
in  a  corner  of  the  room,  with  a  candle  on  the  floor ;  whilst 
Daniel  was  entering  in  a  little  book  the  astonishing  estimates 
given  us  at  the  brewery,  of  the  quantity  of  ale  on  hand,  the 
size  and  number  of  the  vats,  and  the  almost  incredible 
quantity  consumed  in  the  kingdom  each  year.  Jim,  as  I 
have  before  said,  was  the  only  one  of  the  party  who  seemed 
ambitious  to  civilize  ;  and  as  he  was  daily  labouring  to  learn 
something  of  the  English  language,  he  had  this  day  con 
ceived  the  importance  of  instituting  a  little  book  of  entries 
in  which  he  could  carry  home,  to  enlighten  his  people,  some 
thing  like  a  brief  statistical  account  of  the  marvellous  things 
he  was  seeing,  and  was  to  see,  amongst  the  white  people. 

Daniel  had  at  this  moment  finished  entering  into  it  the 
estimates  of  the  brewery  and  chickabobboo,  which  had  opened 
their  eyes  wider,  perhaps,  than  anything  else  they  had  seen ; 
and  he  had  very  \visely  left  a  few  blank  pages  in  the  begin 
ning  of  the  book  for  other  retrospective  notes  and  estimates 
of  things  they  had  already  seen  since  the  day  they  left 
home.  Jim's  Journal  was  thus  established,  and  he  was, 
with  Daniel's  aid,  to  become  a  sort  of  historian  to  the  party; 
and  as  the  sequel  will  show,  he  became  stimulated  thereby 

i  2 


116  JIM'S  KNOWLEDGE  OF  ENGLISH. 

to  greater  exertions  to  see  and  to  understand  what  was 
curious  and  interesting,  and  to  get  estimates  of  the  beauties 
and  blessings  of  civilization  to  carry  home.  He  laboured 
from  that  moment  indefatigably,  not  to  write  or  to  read, 
but  to  speak;  and  made  rapid  progress,  as  will  be  seen 
hereafter,  having  known,  as  he  said,  but  two  English 
sentences  when  he  came  to  England,  which  were,  "  How  do 
do?"  and  "Goddam." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  loways  in  Vauxhall  Gardens — Surrey  Theatre — Carter  in  the  lions' 
cage — Astonishment  of  the  Indians — Indians  in  the  Diving  Bell,  at  the 
Polytechnic  Institution — Indians  riding — Shooting  at  target  on  horseback 
— Ball-play — "  Jolly  fat  dame  " — Ladies  converse  with  the  Doctor — 
His  reasons  for  not  marrying — Curious  questions — Plurality  of  wives — 
Amusing  scene — The  Author  in  Indian  costume — A  cruel  experiment  — 
loways  arrive  in  Birmingham — The  Author's  arrival  there — Society  of 
Friends — Indians  all  breakfast  with  Mr.  Joseph  Sturge — Kind  treatment 
— Conversation  after  breakfast  about  religon  and  education — Reply  of 
the  War-chief — The  button-factory  of  Turner  and  Sons — Generous  pre 
sents  to  the  Indians — Bobasheela  arrives — Indians  dividing  their  buttons 
— Doctor  found  on  top  of  the  Shakespeare  Buildings — Indians'  kindness 
to  a  beggar-woman — Poor-houses — Many  Friends  visit  the  Indians — 
Indians'  visit  to  Miss  Catherine  Hutton — Her  great  age — Her  kind 
ness — Dinner — Her  presents  to  them  in  money — Parting  scene — The 
War-chief's  speech  to  her — Her  letters  to  the  Author — Indians  present 
to  the  two  hospitals  370  dollars— Address  read  by  the  Presidents  to  the 
Indians — Doctor's  reply — Indians  start  for  York — A  fox-hunt — Curious 
notions  of  Indians  about  it — Visit  to  York  Minster — Ascend  the  grand 
tower — Visit  to  the  castle  and  prison — Museum  of  the  instruments  of 
murder — Alarm  of  the  Doctor — Kindness  of  the  governor  of  the  castle 
and  his  lady — Indians'  ideas  of  imprisonment  for  debt,  and  punishment 
for  murder. 

THE  scene  of  the  Indians'  amusements  was  now  changed  from 
the  Egyptian  Hall  to  the  open  air  in  Vauxhall  Gardens, 
and  their  dances  and  other  exercises  were  given  in  the 
afternoon.  Their  lodgings  were  also  changed  at  the  same 
time  to  the  buildings  within  the  enclosure  of  the  gardens. 
This  arrangement  was  one  of  very  great  pleasure  to  the 
Indians,  as  it  allowed  a  free  space  to  exercise  in  during  their 
leisure  hours,  amongst  trees  and  shrubbery,  affording  them 
almost  a  complete  resumption  of  Indian  life  in  the  wilder 
ness,  as  they  had  the  uninterrupted  range  of  the  gar 
dens  during  the  hours  that  the  public  were  not  there  to 


118  INDIANS  VISIT  POLYTECHNIC. 

witness  their  amusements.  This  arrangement  was  pleasing 
to  them  in  another  respect,  and  to  us  also,  as  there  were 
many  things  they  were  yet  anxious  to  see  in  London,  and 
which,  as  they  could  only  be  seen  at  night,  our  former  ar 
rangements  had  entirely  precluded  them  from  seeing.  Under 
these  new  arrangements  they  still  had  their  omnibus  drives, 
and  at  night  attended  the  parties  of  numerous  friends  who 
had  been  desirous  to  show  them  some  attentions,  and  also 
were  taken  to  several  instructive  exhibitions,  and  to  two  or 
three  of  the  principal  theatres. 

We  were  then  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Surrey  Theatre, 
where  Mr.  Carter,  "  the  lion-tamer,"  invited  them  several 
times  to  witness  his  wonderful  feat  of  going  into  the  lion's 
cage.  This  scene  was  one  of  the  most  impressive  and  ex 
citing  nature  to  them,  and  will  probably  be  as  long  recol 
lected  by  them  as  the  wonders  opened  to  their  minds  at  the 
fountain  of  chickalolboo, 

The  Polytechnic  Institution  was  one  I  took  great  pleasure 
in  accompanying  them  to  :  and  a  scene  of  much  amusement, 
for  a  numerous  audience  as  well  as  amusing  and  astonishing 
to  themselves,  was  that  of  their  descending  in  the  diving- 
bell.  They  were  at  first  afraid  of  it,  but  after  the  Doc 
tor  had  made  a  descent  with  me,  and  come  out  unhurt  and 
unwet,  several  others  went  down  with  Mr.  Melody,  others 
with  Jeffrey — the  old  War-chief  with  his  old  friend  Bola- 
shcela,  and  so  on,  until  every  one  of  the  party,  men,  women, 
and  children,  went  down  and  experienced  the  curious 
sensation  of  that  (to  them)  greatest  of  medicine  affairs. 

In  Vauxhall  Gardens  the  Indians  erected  their  four  wig 
wams  of  buffalo  hides,  and  in  darting  into  and  about  them 
during  their  various  games  and  amusements,  whilst  the 
blue  smoke  was  curling  out  of  their  tops,  presented  one 
of  the  most  complete  and  perfect  illustrations  of  an  Indian 
encampment  that  could  possibly  have  been  designed.  It 
was  the  thing  itself,  and  the  very  men,  women,  and  children 
living  and  acting  on  a  similar  green  turf,  as  they  do  on  the 
prairies  of  the  Missouri. 


INDIANS  IN  VAUXHALL  GARDENS.  119 

In  the  amusements  as  there  given,  there  was  an  addition 
to  those  which  had  been  made  in  Lord's  Cricket-ground  some 
weeks  before,  having  in  Vauxhall  brought  horses  in  to  add, 
with  equestrian  exercises,  to  the  completion  of  all  the  modes 
practised  by  this  tribe.  The  loways,  like  most  of  the 
Indians  of  the  prairies  of  America,,  subsist  upon  the  food  of 
the  buffalo,  and  kill  them  from  their  horses'  backs,  with 
their  bows  and  arrows,  while  running  at  full  speed.  In  the 
same  manner  they  meet  their  enemies  in  battle,  in  which 
they  carry  their  shield  and  lance.  Thus  fully  equipped, 
with  their  own  native  shields  and  lances,  and  bows,  and  even 
the  saddles  and  trappings  for  their  horses,  they  all  mounted 
upon  their  backs,  in  the  midst  of  their  amusements,  and 
dashing  off  at  full  speed,  illustrated  their  modes  of  drawing 
the  bow  as  they  drove  their  arrows  into  the  target,  or  made 
their  warlike  feints  at  it  with  their  long  lances  as  they 
passed. 

This  formed  the  most  attractive  part  of  their  exhibition^ 
and  thousands  flocked  there  to  witness  their  powers  of 
horsemanship  and  skill  in  prairie  warfare.  This  exciting 
exhibition  which  pleased  the  visitors,  I  could  have  wished 
might  have  been  less  fatiguing,  and  even  dangerous,  to 
the  limbs  of  the  Indians  than  it  actually  was  from  the  awk 
wardness  and  perverseness  and  fright  of  the  horses,  not 
trained  to  Indian  modes.  With  all  these  difficulties  to  con 
tend  with,  however,  they  played  their  parts  cheerfully  and 
well,  and  the  spectators  seemed  highly  pleased.  Amidst 
the  throngs  who  visited  them  here,  we  could  discover  most 
of  their  old  standard  friends  and  admirers,  who  came  to  see 
them  on  horseback,  and  in  the  beautiful  game  of  ball,  in  the 
open  grounds  of  Vauxhall,  where  they  could  more  easily 
approach  and  converse  with  them  ;  and  amongst  such,  the 
"jolly  fat  dame"  was  present,  and  more  pleased  than  ever, 
when  she  could  catch  the  Doctor's  smile  as  lie  passed  by 
her  at  full  speed,  and  raising  his  shield  of  buffalo's  hide 
upon  his  arm,  he  darted  his  long  lance  in  feints  at  her 
breast,  and  sounded  the  piercing  war-cry.  The  vanity  of 


120  INDIANS  IN  VAUXHALL  GARDENS. 

the  Doctor  was  so  well  suited  in  this  mode  of  the  exhibition, 
where  he  could  dash  by  ranks  and  files,  and  even  phalanxes 
of  ladies,  with  the  endless  flourishes  of  his  shield  and  lance, 
that  he  soon  began  to  exhibit  convincing  evidences  that  his 
ambition  and  his  vanity  were  too  much  for  his  bodily  re 
sources,  which  it  became  necessary  to  replenish  occasionally 
by  refusing  him  his  horse,  on  which  occasions  he  made  good 
use  of  his  time,  by  placing  himself,  wrapped  in  his  robe,  with 
his  fan  in  his  hand,  by  the  side  of  the  ladies,  with  whom  he 
could  exchange  by  this  time  a  few  words,  and  many  signifi 
cant  looks  and  gestures,  which  never  failed  to  amuse,  and 
seldom  failed  to  operate  upon  their  generous  feelings,  which 
were  constantly  adding  to  the  contents  of  his  tobacco  pouch, 
which  was  now  known  to  be  a  reservoir  for  money  and 
trinkets  of  various  kinds,  instead  of  tobacco. 

I  happened  to  be  by  the  side  of  the  Doctor  on  one  of 
these  occasions,  when  I  became  so  much  amused  with  the 
questions  and  answers,  that  I  immediately  after  retired  and 
committed  them  to  my  note  book.  A  number  of  jolly  fat 
dames,  of  middle  and  knowing  age,  had  drawn  themselves 
around  the  Doctor,  and  looking  over  their  shoulders  and 
under  their  arms,  a  number  of  delicate  and  coy  little 
girls.  And  having  called  Jeffrey  to  translate,  they  were 
enabled  to  get  the  gist  of  all  he  said,  without  loss  from 
modesty  or  evasion,  which  seemed  to  be  exactly  what  they 
most  desired.  His  friend  Jim  having  seen  him  thus  enve 
loped,  turned  his  horse  loose  and  came  to  his  aid  (or  coun 
tenance),  and  as  the  old  man  hesitated,  Jim  gave  him  the 
nod  and  the  wink  to  be  plain  in  his  replies.  They  had  first 
asked  him  if  he  was  married?  to  which  he  replied  "  No." 
They  then  asked  him  why  he  did  not  get  him  a  wife?  he 
said  "  He  had  always  been  very  particular  about  giving 
offence  to  the  women,  and  he  had  feared  that  if  he  selected 
one  in  preference  to  the  others,  that  the  others  would  all  be 
offended."  This  queer  reply  raised  a  great  laugh  amongst 
the  crowd,  and  encouraged  the  Doctor  to  go  on.  Some  one 
of  the  ladies  then  told  him  she  feared  he  did  not  admire  the 


LADIES  CONVERSE  WITH  THE  DOCTOR.  121 

ladies  enough  ?  he  said,  "  he  had  always  believed  that  the 
reason  he  did  not  get  married  was,  that  he  admired  them 
too  much ;  he  saw  so  many  that  he  wanted,  that  he  had 
never  decided  which  to  take,  and  so  had  taken  none."  Me 
lody  came  up  at  this  time,  and  seemed  a  little  vexed,  and 
said,  "  Catlin,  you  had  better  call  that  old  fool  away,  those 
people  will  spoil  him,  he  is  quite  vain  enough  now."  "  Oh, 
no,"  said  I,  "let  him  alone,  he  is  gratifying  the  ladies, 
and  we  shall  see,  in  a  few  moments,  which  is  the  fool,  he  or 
the  ladies  who  are  questioning  him."  Melody  smiled,  and 
looked  on. 

'•  I  have  been  told,"  said  one  of  the  ladies,  "  that  some  of 
the  Indians  have  a  number  of  wives:  is  that  so?" 

'•Yes,"  the  Doctor  replied  in  English,  (i  sometimes  have 
a  heap."  (The  ladies  all  laughed.)  Two  or  three  inquired 
what  a  "  heap  "  was  ?  Jeffrey  said,  "  Why,  ma'am,  it  is  what 
in  our  country  means  a  '  lot :  '  you  know  what  they  call  a 
{ lot9  here?  "  "  Oh,  yes!  it  means  a  great  many."  "  Yes, 
a  number."  "  Well,  tell  the  Doctor  I  want  to  know  what 
they  do  with  so  many  ?  " 

Here  the  poor  Doctor  was  quite  at  a  loss  to  know  what 
to  say ;  one  thing  he  was  sure  to  do — he  smiled — and  it 
seemed  as  if  he  wished  that  to  go  for  an  answer :  and  it 
might  have  done  so  with  most  of  her  sex,  but  in  this 
instance  it  was  not  quite  satisfactory,  and  the  question  was 
again  put :  to  which  the  big-mouthed  Jim,  who  I  said  had 
come  to  the  relief  of  his  friend,  and  who  had  a  wife  of  his 
own,  put  in  an  instant  reply,  which  relieved  the  Doctor, 
and  seemed  very  much  to  embarrass  the  lady,  for  she 
instantly  added,  (as  all  were  bursting  with  laughter,)  "That 
isn't  what  I  mean  :  I  want  to  know  how  a  chief  can  get  along 
with  so  many,  how  he  can  manage  them  all,  and  keep  them 
in  good  humour  and  satisfied ;  for,"  said  she,  "  in  this  country, 
one  is  quite  as  much  as  a  man  can  manage." 

This  seemed  to  afford  the  Doctor  a  little  relief,  and  he 
was  evidently  able  to  go  on  again,  as  he  smilingly  said,  "It 
was  quite  easy,  as  Indian  women  were  much  more  peaceable 


122  LADIES  CONVERSE  WITH  THE  DOCTOR. 

and  quiet  than  white  women,  it  was  much  more  easy  he 
thought  to  manage  them ;  they  drank  no  chickdbobboo , 
and  therefore  did  not  require  so  much  watching  as  white 
women." 

The  lady  seemed  quite  balked  in  the  debate  she  was 
about  entering  on  with  the  Doctor,,  from  her  ignorance  of 
the  meaning  of  chickabobboo,  and  asked  for  an  explanation 
of  it,  as  if  for  all  the  company  about ;  to  which  Jim  put  in 
(again  in  plain  English),  "  Gin !  "  "  Oh  !  Doctor,"  said  she, 
"  I  hope  you  don't  accuse  the  ladies  of  London  of  drinking 
gin  ?  "  The  Doctor  replied,  that  "  he  had  not  seen  them  do 
it,  but  that  he  had  been  told  that  they  did,  and  that  it  was 
the  reason  why  the  ladies  here  grew  so  large  and  so  fat." 
He  said,  u  that  they  could  always  look  out  of  the  windows, 
where  he  lived,  and  \just  before  going  to  bed  they  could 
see  any  night  a  hundred  women  going  home  with  pitchers 
full  of  it,  to  drink  after  they  got  into  bed,  so  as  to  sleep 
sound :  and  that  one  night,  coming  home  in  their  carriage 
at  a  late  hour,  from  a  distance,  where  they  had  been  to  sec 
a  show,  he  and  Jim  had  counted  more  than  three  hundred 
women  running  along  in  the  street,  with  pitchers  filled  with 
it  in  their  hands,  to  drink  as  they  were  going  to  bed.5' 

The  lady's  explanation  of  this,  that  "  It  was  only  harm 
less  ale  that  these  women  were  carrying  in  for  their  mas'ters 
and  mistresses,"  excited  the  Doctor's  smiles,  but  no  reply. 

She  seemed  not  satisfied  yet  about  the  first  subject  that 
she  had  started,  and  reverting  to  it  again,  said,  "  Well, 
Doctor,  I  can't  excuse  the  Indians  for  having  so  many  wives. 
I  like  the  Indians  very  much,  but  I  don't  like  that  custom 
they  have  ;  I  think  it  is  very  cruel  and  very  wicked.  Don't 
you  think  it  is  wrong  ?  " 

The  Doctor  studied  a  moment,  and  replied,  "  that  it 
might  be  wrong,  but  if  it  was,  he  didn't  see  that  it  was  any 
worse  than  for  white  women  to  have  a  number  of  husbands." 
"  But  what,  Doctor,  what  do  you  mean  ?  I  hope  you  have 
not  so  bad  an  opinion  of  white  women  as  that  ?  "  To  this 
he  very  coolly  replied,  (i  that  when  they  drank  a  great  deal 


THE  AUTHOR  IN  INDIAN  COSTUME.  123 

of  gin,  he  believed,  from  what  he  had  seen  in  his  practice, 
that  a  woman  would  require  more  than  one  husband ;  and 
that  since  he  had  been  in  London  he  had  seen  many  walk 
ing  in  the  streets,  and  some  riding  in  fine  carriages,  whom 
he  thought,  from  their  looks,  must  have  more  than  one  hus 
band  :  and  from  what  he  had  been  told,  he  believed  that 
many  women  in  London  had  a  heap!"  "That's  a  lot!'7 
(cried  out  a  very  pretty  little  girl,  who  had  been  listening, 
and,  frightened  at  her  own  unintentional  interpretation, 
started  to  run.) 

"  Come,  come,  Catlin,"  said  Melody,  "  pull  the  old  fellow 
out,  and  take  him  away;  "  and  so  the  debate  ended,  amidst 
a  roar  of  laughter  from  all  sides. 

One  more  of  the  hundred  little  reminiscences  of  Vaux- 
hall,  and  we  will  leave  it.  I  have  already  said,  that  in  the 
spacious  apartments  of  Vauxhall,  unoccupied,  the  Indians 
were  quartered,  and  took  their  meals ;  and  during  the  fore 
part  of  the  day.,  between  their  breakfast  and  the  hour  of 
their  afternoon  exhibitions,  their  time  was  mostly  spent  in 
strolling  around  the  grounds,  or  at  their  varied  amusements. 
Many  of  my  personal  friends  finding  this  a  pleasing  oppor 
tunity  to  see  them,  were  in  the  habit  of  coming  in,  and 
amusing  themselves  with  them.  I  had  accidentally  heard 
of  a  party  of  ladies  preparing  to  come  on  a  certain  morning, 
some  of  them  my  esteemed  friends,  and  others  strangers  to 
me :  and  from  a  wish  to  get  relieved  from  a  fatiguing  con 
versation,  as  well  as  from  a  still  stronger  desire  for  amuse 
ment,  I  selected  from  my  wardrobe  a  very  splendid  dress, 
head-gear  and  all  complete.,  and  fully  arranged  myself  in 
Indian  costume,  "  cap-a-pied,"  with  face  fully  painted,  and 
weapons  in  hand  ;  and  at  the  hour  of  their  arrival  in  the 
house,  took  care  to  be  strolling  about  in  the  grounds  with 
Wash-ka-mon-ya  (Jim).  Whilst  the  ladies  were  amused 
with  the  party  in  the  house,  where  there  were  constant  in 
quiries  for  me,  two  of  them  observing  us  two  beaus  saun 
tering  about  in  the  garden,  came  out  to  keep  us  company, 
and  to  talk  to  us,  and  with  themselves,  in  the  English  Ian- 


124  INDIANS  IN  BIRMINGHAM. 

guage,  which  of  course  we  Indians  knew  nothing  of:  when 
we  shook  our  heads  to  their  inquiries,  "  Do  you  speak 
English,  good  Indians?"  I  saw  they  did  not  recognize  me, 
yet  I  trembled  for  fear,  for  they  were  lovely  women,  and 
every  sentence  almost  which  they  uttered  would  have  made 
the  discovery  more  cruel :  we  held  ourselves  dignified  and 
dumb ;  whilst  they,  poor  things,  were  so  much  regretting 
that  we  could  not  understand  what  they  said.  They  finished 
their  visit  to  us  and  their  remarks,  and  returned,  leaving 
me  to  regret  my  folly  upon  which  I  had  thoughtlessly 
entered. 

Several  weeks  were  spent  in  their  daily  exhibitions  in 
Vauxhall,  and,  as  one  can  easily  imagine,  much  to  the  satis 
faction  of  the  Indians,  and,  I  believe,  much  to  the  amuse 
ment  of  the  visitors  who  came  to  see  them.  Within  the 
last  week  of  their  exhibition  I  admitted  from  charity 
schools  32,000  children,  with  their  teachers,  free  of  charge  ; 
to  all  of  whom  I  gave  instructive  lectures  on  the  position  of 
the  tribe,  their  condition,  their  customs  and  character  :  and 
explained  also  the  modes,  which  were  acted  out  by  14  living 
Indians  before  their  eyes ;  and  but  one  of  these  schools  ever 
communicated  with  me  after,  to  thank  me  for  the  amuse 
ment  or  instruction ;  which  might  not  have  been  a  curious 
omission,  but  I  thought  it  ivas,  at  the  time. 

With  the  amusements  at  Vauxhall  ended  my  career  in 
London ;  and  contemplating  a  tour  to  several  of  the  pro 
vincial  towns,  in  company  with  the  Indians,  I  took  my  little 
family  to  Brighton,  and  having  left  them  comfortably 
situated  and  provided  for,  I  joined  the  party  in  Birming 
ham,  where  they  had  arrived  and  taken  lodgings.  The 
idea  of  moving  about  pleased  the  Indians  very  much,  and 
I  found  them  all  in  high  spirits  when  I  arrived,  delighted 
to  have  found  that  the  chickabolboo  was  the  same  there  as  in 
London,  and  was  likely  to  continue  much  the  same  in  all 
parts  of  the  kingdom  to  which  they  should  go.  There  was 
an  unfortunate  offset  to  this  pleasing  intelligence,  however, 
which  seemed  to  annoy  them  very  much,  and  of  which  they 


AUTHOR'S  ARRIVAL  AT  BIRMINGHAM.  125 

were  making  bitter  complaint.  On  leaving  London  for  the 
country,  they  had  spent  some  days,  and  exercised  all  their 
ingenuity,  in  endeavouring  to  clean  their  beautiful  skin 
dresses,  which  the  soot  of  London  had  sadly  metamorphosed ; 
and  on  arriving  in  Birmingham  they  had  the  extreme 
mortification  to  anticipate,  from  appearances.,  an  equal 
destruction  of  that  soft  and  white  surface  which  they  give 
to  their  skin  dresses,  and  which  (though  it  had  been  entirely 
lost  sight  of  during  the  latter  part  of  their  stay  in  London) 
had,  with  great  pains,  been  partially  restored  for  a  more 
pleasing  appearance  in  the  country. 

Though  I  had  several  times  passed  through  Birming 
ham,  and  on  one  occasion  stopped  there  a  day  or  two, 
I  entered  this  time  a  total  stranger,  and  in  rather  a 
strange  and  amusing  manner.  On  my  journey  there  by  the 
railway,  I  had  fallen  in  company  and  conversation  with  a 
very  amusing  man,  who  told  me  he  was  a  commercial  tra 
veller,  and  we  had  had  so  much  amusing  chat  together, 
that  when  we  arrived,  at  a  late  hour  at  night,  I  was  quite 
happy  to  follow  his  advice  as  to  the  quarters  we  were  to 
take  up  in  the  town,  at  least  for  the  night.  He  said  it  was 
so  late  that  the  hotels  would  be  closed,  and  that  the  com 
mercial  inn,  where  he  was  going,  was  the  only  place  open, 
and  I  should  find  there  everything  to  make  me  comfortable, 
and  a  very  nice  sort  of  people.  We  took  an  omnibus  for 
town,  and  as  there  was  only  room  for  one  inside,  he  got 
upon  the  top,  and  so  we  went  off;  and  getting,  as  I  sup 
posed,  into  or  near  the  middle  of  the  town,  the  bus  stopped 
at  a  "  commercial  inn,"  which  was  open,  and  lighted  up  in 
front,  and  a  number  of  passengers  getting  out,  and  others 
down  from  the  top,  I  was  seeing  to  get  my  luggage  in  safe, 
and  the  omnibus  drove  off  with  my  jolly  companion  still  on 
the  top;  or  this  I  presumed,  as  he  was  not  left  behind. 
My  only  alternative  now  was,  to  make  the  best  of  it,  and  be 
as  comfortable  as  I  could  ;  so  I  got  into  the  "  commercial 
room,"  and  having  been  told  that  I  should  have  a  bed,  I 
felt  quite  easy,  and  told  the  plump,  tidy  little  landlady, 


126  SCENE  AT  COMMERCIAL  INN. 

who  was  waiting  upon  me  herself,  that  I  would  have  a  mug 
of  ale  and  a  biscuit,  and  then  be  ready  to  go  to  bed.  As 
she  turned  round  to  execute  my  command,  she  met  a  party 
consisting  of  three  young  women,  and  a  man  leading  one 
of  them  on  his  arm,  and  in  his  hands  carrying  three  or 
four  carpet-bags  and  band-boxes,  just  got  down  from  the 
same  bus,  and  entering  the  inn  on  the  same  errand  that  I 
was  on.  "  Madam,"  said  he,  "  what  have  you  ?" — "  Hevery- 
think,  sir,  that  you  can  wish."  "  Well,  one  thing  we  must 
have,  that  is,  two  beds." — "  They  are  ready,  sir."  "  Well, 
ladies,"  said  he,  "  suppose  we  take  a  drop  of  wet."  This 
agreed  to,  the  "  wet  "  was  brought  in  in  a  moment,  and 
also  my  mug  of  ale. 

A  very  genteel-looking  little  man  whom  I  had  seen  in  the 
same  carriage  with  me,  and  now  sitting  in  the  room  before 
me,  with  his  carpet-bag  by  the  side  of  him,  and  his  umbrella 
in  his  hand,  addressed  me,  "  Stranger,  you'll  allow  mc."- 
"  Certainly,  sir."  "  I  think  I  heard  you  tell  a  gentleman  in 
the  carriage  that  you  were  from  New  York." — "Yes,  I  did 
so."  "/'rafrom  there.  I  left  there  four  months  ago,  and  I've 
gone  ahead,  or  I'll  be  shot.  How  long  have  you  bin  from 
there,  sir  ?" — "  About  five  years."  "  Hell !  there's  been  great 
fixins  there  in  that  time  ;  you'd  scarcely  know  New  York 
now ;  look  here,  isn't  this  the  darndest  strange  country  you 
ever  saw  in  your  life  ?  rot  'em,  I  can't  get  'em  to  do  anything 
as  I  want  it  done ;  they  are  the  greatest  set  of  numskulls  I 
ever  saw  ;  now  see,  that  little  snub  of  a  petticoat  that's  just 
gone  out  there,  I  suppose  she  is  cock  of  the  walk  here  too  ; 
she's  been  all  civility  to  you,  but  I've  had  a  hell  of  a  blow  up 
with  her ;  I  was  in  here  not  five  minutes  before  you  by  the 
watch,  and  I  spoke  for  a  bed  and  a  mug  of  ale  ;  she  brought 
me  the  ale,  and  I  told  her  to  bring  me  a  tumbler  and  a  cracker, 
and  she  turned  upon  me  in  a  hell  of  a  flare-up.  She  said 
she  was  very  much  obliged  to  me  for  my  himpudence,  she 
didn't  allow  crackers  in  her  house,  and  as  for  '  tumblers,'  they 
were  characters  she  never  had  anything  to  do  with,  thank 
God  ;  they  were  a  low  set  of  creatures,  and  they  never  got 


SCENE  AT  COMMERCIAL  INN.  127 

any  favour  about  her  house.  She  wanted  to  know  what 
quarter  I  came  from.  I  told  her  I  wasn't  from  any  quarter, 
I  was  from  half — half  the  globe,  by  God,  and  the  better  half 
too — wasn't  I  right,  stranger  ?  She  said  her  house  was  a  hinn, 
to  be  sure,  but  she  didn't  hentertain  blackguards,  so  there 
was  my  hale,  and  I  might  drink  it  hup  and  be  hoff,  and  be 
anged,  and  then  she  cut  her  string  quicker  than  lightning; 
now  isn't  she  a  hard  un  ?  I  don't  suppose  there  is  another 
house  open  in  this  darned  outlandish  place  at  this  time  of 
the  night ;  what  the  devil  shall  I  do  ?  you  are  fixed  snug 
enough."  "  Oh,  well,  never  mind,"  said  I,  "  be  quite  easy,  it 
is  settled  in  a  moment," — as  I  rung  the  bell.  The  tidy 
little  landlady  came  in  again,  and  I  said,  "  This  gentleman 
will  have  a  glass  if  you  please,  and  a  biscuit." — "  Hif  he  ic-as 
a  gentleman,  Sir,"  said  she,  "but  I  assure  you,  Sir,  is 
beaviour  as'nt  been  much  like  it."  "  Well,  well,"  said  I, 
"  never  mind  it  now,  you  will  be  good  friends  after  a  little 
better  understanding — he  comes  from  a  country  where  a 
glass  is  a  tumbler  and  a  biscuit  is  a  cracker  :  now,  if  you  had 
known  this,  there  would  have  been  no  difficulty  between 
you."  "  Ho,  that  I  hadmit,  but  it's  very  hodd."  "  Never 
mind  that,  you  will  find  him  a  good  fellow,  and  give  him 
his  bed."  "Is  bed,  Sir?  —  hit's  too  late;  it's  been 
hoccupied  never  since  you  entered  the  ouse — the  only 
chance  his  for  you  and  im  to  turn  hin."  "  Well,"  said  I, 
"never  mind,  he  and  I  will  manage  that;  it  is  after  mid 
night,  and  I  suppose  the  other  houses  are  all  shut  ?"  "I'll 
hanswer  for  that :  hif  you  are  ready,  gentlemen,  I'll  show  you 
hup."  My  friend  kept  by  my  side,  but  knowing  the  gloomy 
fate  that  awaited  him  if  he  got  into  the  street  again,  he  kept 
entirely  quiet  until  the  little  landlady  was  down  stairs. 
"  There,"  said  he,  "  isn't  she  a  roarer  ?  I  could  have  settled 
the  hash  with  her  myself  in  a  twinkling,  if  she  had  only  let 
me  have  said  five  words,  but  her  tongue  run  so  slick  that 
I  couldn't  get  the  half  of  a  word  in  edgewise." 

My  new  acquaintance  and  1   talked  a  little  more  before 
we   "  turned   in,"    but   much  more  after  we  had   got  into 


128  SCENE  AT  COMMERCIAL  INN. 

bed.  He  could  command  words  and  ideas  fast  enough 
when  he  was  on  his  feet ;  but  I  found  in  him  something 
of  Jim's  peculiarity,  that  he  thought  much  faster  and 
stronger  when  on  his  back  ;  and  for  half  an  hour  or  so  I 
reaped  the  benefit  of  the  improvement.  How  long  I  heard 
him,  and  how  much  he  actually  said,  I  never  could  tell 
exactly  ;  but  what  he  said  before  I  went  to  sleep  I  always 
distinctly  recollected,  and  a  mere  sentence  or  two  of  it 
was  as  follows : — "  Well,  stranger,  here  we  are  :  this  is 
droll,  ain't  it?  'hodd,'  as  the  landlady  would  call  it.  I'd  a 
been  in  the  streets  to-night  as  sure  as  cat-gut  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  you.  God  knows  I  am  obliged  to  you.  Youv'e 
got  a  sort  o'  way  o'  gettin'  along  ur'  these  ere  darned, 
ignorant,  stupid  sort  o'  beings.  I  can't  doit :  dod  rot  'em  ! 
they  put  me  out  at  every  step  ;  they  are  so  eternally  ignorant ; 
did  you  ever  see  the  like  ?  I  suppose  you  are  going  to  stop 
awhile  in  Birmingham  ?''  "  A  few  days."  "/shall  be  here 
a  week,  and  be  bright  and  early  enough  to  get  into  a 
decenter  house  than  this  is,  and  be  glad  to  join  you.  I  was 
told  in  London  that  the  loway  Indians  went  on  here  yester 
day.  I'm  damned  anxious  to  meet  them  :  you've  seen  them, 
I  suppose?"  "Yes,  I  saw  them  in  London."  "Well,  / 
did  not ;  I  was  just  too  late ;  but  I  must  go  and  look  'em  up 
to-morrow:  they  know  me."  "Then  you  have  seen  them  ?" 
"  Oh,  dam  'em,  yes  :  I've  known  'em  for  several  years  :  they'll 
be  at  home  with  me  at  once.  I've  run  buffaloes  with 
White-Cloud,  the  chief,  many  and  many  a  time.  He  and  I 
have  camped  out  more  than  once.  They  are  a  fine  set  of 
fellows.  I'm  going  to  spend  some  time  with  them  in  Bir 
mingham.  I  know  'em  like  a  book.  Oh  yes,  they'll  know 
me  quick  enough.  I  was  all  through  their  country.  I 
went  clean  up  Lake  Superior,  nearly  to  Hudson's  Bay.  I 
saw  all  the  Chippeways,  and  the  Black-feet,  and  the  Crows, 
Catlin's  old  friends.  By  the  way,  Catlin,  I'm  told,  is  with 
these  Indians,  or  was,  when  they  were  in  London — he's  all 
sorts  of  a  man."  "Have  you  seen  him?"  "Seen  him? 
why,  dam  it,  I  raised  him,,  as  the  saying  is :  I  have  known 


AMUSING  WAGGERY.  129 

him  all  my  life.  I  met  him  a  number  of  times  in  the 
Prairie  country  ;  he  's  a  roarer."  This  was  about  the  last 
that  I  distinctly  recollected  before  going  to  sleep  ;  and  the 
next  morning  rny  vigilant  and  wide-  awake  little  bedfellow, 
being  about  the  room  a  little  before  me,  where  my  name 
was  conspicuous  on  my  carpet  bag  and  writing-desk,  &c., 
had  from  some  cause  or  other  thought  it  would  be  less 
trouble  and  bother  to  wend  his  way  amongst  these  "  stupid 
and  ignorant  beings"  alone,  than  to  encounter  the  Indians 
and  Mr.  Catlin,  and  endeavour  to  obliterate  the  hasty  pro 
fessions  he  had  made ;  and  therefore,  when  I  came  down 
and  called  for  breakfast  for  two,  the  landlady  informed  me 
that  my  companion  had  paid  his  bill  and  left  at  an  early 
hour.  I  was  rather  sorry  for  this,  for  he  was  quite  an 
amusing  little  man,  and  I  have  never  heard  of  him  since. 

I  found  the  dumpy  little  landlady  kindly  disposed,  and 
she  gave  me  a  very  good  breakfast,  amusing  me  a  great 
deal  with  anecdotes  of  the  party  who  called  for  "  a  little 
bit  of  wet ;"  she  informed  me  they  were  a  wedding-party, 
and  the  man  who  had  the  lady  on  his  arm  was  the  bride 
groom.  While  waiting  for  my  breakfast  I  was  much  amused 
with  some  fun  going  on  in  the  street  before  the  window.  It 
seems  that  the  house  directly  opposite  had  been  taken  by 
a  couple  of  tidy-looking  young  women  who  were  sisters,  and 
that,  having  established  a  millinery  business  on  the  lower 
floor,  they  had  several  apartments  which  they  were  anxious 
to  underlet  in  order  to  assist  them  in  paying  their  heavy 
rent.  Young  gentlemen  are  everywhere  in  this  country 
considered  the  most  desirable  lodgers,  as  they  give  less 
trouble  than  any  others,  are  less  of  the  time  at  home,  and 
generally  pay  best.  These  young  adventurers  had  been  there 
fore  anxious  to  get  such  a  class  of  lodgers  in  their  house,  and 
had,  the  day  before,  employed  a  sign-painter  to  paint  a 
conspicuous  board,  in  bright  and  glaring  letters,  which  was 
put  up  on  a  post  erected  in  the  little  garden  in  front  of  their 
house^  near  the  gate.  The  announcement  ran,  when  the 
young  ladies  retired  to  bed,  "  Lodgings  for  single  gentlemen" 

VOL.  II.  K 


130  OPENING  OF  THE  EXHIBITION. 

— a  customary  and  very  innocent  way  of  offering  apartments  ; 
but  owing  to  the  cruelty  of  some  wag  during  the  night,  it 
was  found  in  the  morning,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the 
collected  crowd,  to  read,  "  Longings  for  single  gentlemen.'''' 
How  long  this  continued  to  amuse  the  passers-by,  or  how  it 
might  have  affected  the  future  prospects  of  the  poor  girls,  I 
cannot  of  course  tell,  as  I  forthwith  proceeded  to  a  more 
pleasant  part  of  the  town.  Birmingham  I  found  on  further 
acquaintance  to  be  one  of  the  pleasantest  towns  I  visited 
in  the  kingdom,  and  its  hotels  and  streets  generally  very 
different  from  those  into  which  my  commercial  travelling 
acquaintance  had  that  night  led  me. 

Mr.  Melody  had  all  things  prepared  for  our  exhibition 
when  I  arrived,  having  taken  the  large  hall  in  the  Shaks- 
peare  Buildings,  and  also  procured  rooms  for  the  Indians  to 
sleep  in  in  the  same  establishment. 

The  Indians  and  myself  were  kindly  received  in  Birming 
ham,  for  which,  no  doubt,  they^  like  myself,  will  long  feel 
grateful.  The  work  which  I  had  published  had  been  ex 
tensively  read  there,  and  was  an  introduction  of  the  most 
pleasing  kind  to  me,  and  the  novelty  and  wildness  of  the 
manners  of  the  Indians  enough  to  ensure  them  much  atten 
tion. 

In  their  exhibition  room,  which  was  nightly  well  at 
tended,  we  observed  many  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  whom 
we  could  always  easily  distinguish  by  their  dress,  and  also 
more  easily  by  the  kind  interest  they  expressed  and  ex 
hibited,  whenever  opportunity  occurred,  for  the  welfare  of 
those  poor  people.  The  Indians,  with  their  native  shrewd 
ness  and  sagacity,  at  once  discovered  from  their  appearance 
and  manner  that  they  were  a  different  class  of  people  from 
any  they  had  seen,  and  were  full  of  inquiries  about  them. 
I  told  them  that  these  were  of  the  same  society  as  their 
kind  friend  Dr.  Hodgkin,  whom  they  so  often  saw  in  Lon 
don,  who  is  at  the  head  of  the  Aborigines  Protection  Society, 
who  was  the  first  person  in  England  to  invite  them  to  his 
table,  and  whom  the  reader  will  recollect  they  called  Ichon- 


THE  "FRIENDS."  131 

na  Wap-pa  (the  straight  coat) ;  that  they  were  the  followers 
of  the  great  William  Perm,  whom  I  believed  they  had  heard 
something  about.  They  instantly  pronounced  the  name  of 
"  Penn,  Perm,"  around  the  room,  convincing  me,  as  nearly 
every  tribe  I  ever  visited  in  the  remotest  wildernesses  in 
America  had  done,  that  they  had  heard,  and  attached  the 
greatest  reverence  to,  the  name  of  Penn. 

These  inquiries   commenced  in  their  private  room   one 
evening  after  the  exhibition  had  closed,  and  they  had  had 
an  interview  in  the  exhibition  room  with  several  ladies  and 
gentlemen   of  that  society,  and   had  received  from   them 
some  very  valuable  presents.     They  all  agreed  that  there 
was   something   in    their    manners    and  in    their   mode    of 
shaking  hands  with  them  that  was  more  kind  and  friendly 
than  anything  they  had  met   amongst   other  people ;  and 
this  I  could  see  had  made  a  sensible  impression  upon  them. 
I   took  this  occasion  to  give  them,   in  a  brief  way,  an 
account    of  the    life    of  the    immortal   William    Penn ;  of 
his  good  faith  and  kindness  in  all  his  transactions  with  the 
Indians,    and   the  brotherly   love   he  had   for   them   until 
his  death.     I    also  gave    them  some  general  ideas  of  the 
Society  of  Friends  in  this  country,  from  whom   the  great 
William  Penn  came  ; — that  they  were  the  friends  of  all  the 
human  race  ;  that  they  never  went  to  war  with  any  people  ; 
that    they    therefore    had    no    enemies;    they    drink    no 
spirituous  liquors  ;  that  in  America  and  this  country  they 
were  unanimously   the  friends  of  the  Indians  ;  and  I  was 
glad  to  find  that  in  Birmingham  we  were  in  the  midst  of  a 
great  many    of    them,  with   whom   they   would   no   doubt 
become  acquainted.     There  were  here  some  inquiries  about 
the  religion  of    the  Friends,   which  I  told  them  was  the 
Christian  religion,  which  had  been  explained  to  them  ;  that 
they  were  all  religious  and  charitable,  and,  whatever  religion 
the  Indians  might  prefer  to  follow,  these  good  people  would 
be  equally  sure  to  be  their  friends.     They  seemed,  after 
this,  to  feel  an  evident  pleasure  whenever  they  saw  parties 
of  Friends  entering  the  room  :  they  at  once  recognised  them 

K  2 


132  BREAKFAST  WITH  JOSEPH  STUKGE. 

whenever  they  came  in,  and,  on  retiring  to  their  own  room, 
counted  up  the  numbers  that  had  appeared,  and  made  their 
remarks  upon  them.  In  one  of  these  conversations  I  pleased 
them  very  much  by  reading  to  them  a  note  which  I  had 
just  received  from  Mr.  Joseph  Sturge,  with  whom  I  had 
been  acquainted  in  London,  and  who  was  now  residing 
in  Birmingham,  inviting  me  to  bring  the  whole  party  of 
Indians  to  his  house  to  breakfast  the  next  morning.  I  told 
them  that  Mr.  Sturge  was  a  very  distinguished  man,  and 
one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  Society  of  Friends.  This 
pleased  them  all  exceedingly,  and  at  the  hour  appointed 
this  kind  gentleman's  carriages  were  at  the  door  to  convey 
the  party  to  his  house.  Mr.  Melody  and  Jeffrey  accom 
panied  us,  and  there  were  consequently  seventeen  guests  to 
be  seated  at  this  gentleman's  hospitable  board,  besides  a 
number  of  his  personal  friends  who  were  invited  to  meet 
the  Indians.  After  receiving  all  in  the  most  cordial  man 
ner,  he  read  a  chapter  in  his  Bible,  and  then  we  were  in 
vited  to  the  table.  This  interview  elicited  much  interesting 
conversation,  and  gained  for  the  Indians  and  Mr.  Melody 
many  warm  and  useful  friends. 

Before  taking  leave,  the  War-chief  arose,  and,  offering  his 
hand  to  Mr.  Sturge,  made  the  following  remarks  :— 

"  My  Friend, — The  Great  Spirit,  who  does  everything  that  is  good,  has 
inclined  your  heart  to  be  kind  to  us  ;  and,  first  of  all,  we  thank  Him  for  it. 

"  The  Chief,  White  Cloud,  who  sits  by  me,  directs  me  to  say  that  we 
are  also  thankful  to  you  for  this  notice  you  have  taken  of  us,  poor  and 
ignorant  people,  and  we  shall  recollect  and  not  forget  it. 

"  We  hope  the  Great  Spirit  will  be  kind  to  you  all.  I  have  no  more 
to  say." 

The  simplicity  of  this  natural  appeal  to  the  Great  Spirit, 
and  its  close  (in  which  they  were  commended  by  the  poor 
and  unenlightened  Indian  of  the  wilderness  to  the  care  and 
kindness  of  their  God),  seemed  to  create  surprise  in  the 
minds  of  the  audience,  and  to  excite  in  the  Indians'  behalf 
a  deep  and  lively  interest. 

After  the  breakfast    and    conversation    were    over,  the 


VISIT  TO  A  BUTTON-FACTORY.  133 

whole  party  was  kindly  sent  back  by  the  same  carriages,  and 
the  Indians  returned  in  a  state  of  perfect  delight  with  the 
treatment  they  had  met  with,  and  the  presents  they  had 
received. 

Poor  Jim  (the  student  and  recorder)  was  anxious  that  I 
should  write  down  the  name  of  William  Penn  in  his  book, 
and  also  that  of  the  gentleman  who  had  just  entertained  us., 
that  he  might  be  able  to  repeat  them  correctly  when  he  got 
back  to  the  wilderness  again,  and  have  something  to  say 
about  them. 

We  found  on  our  return  that  the  hour  of  another  en 
gagement  was  at  hand,  and  carriages  were  soon  prepared 
to  take  us  to    the  button-factory  of  Messrs.  Turner  and 
Son,    to  which  we   had  been  kindly  invited;  and  on  our 
arrival   we   found   ourselves    most   cordially  received   and 
entertained.     The  proprietor  led  the  party  through  every 
room  in  his  extensive  establishment,  and  showed  them  the 
whole  process  of  striking  the  buttons   and  medals  from  va 
rious  dies,  which  pleased  them  very  much,  and,  after  showing 
and  explaining  to  them  all  the  different  processes  through 
which  they  passed  in  their  manufacture,  led  them  into  his 
ware-room  or  magazine,,  where  his  stock  on  hand  was  ex 
hibited,   and  package  after  package,   and  gross  upon  gross, 
of  the  most  splendid  and  costly  buttons  were  taken  down, 
and  by  his  own  generous  hand  presented  to  them.     These 
were  such  brilliant  evidences  of  kindness,   and  would  be  so 
ornamental  to  the   splendid  dresses   which  they  and  their 
wives  were  to  have  when  they  got  home,  that  they  looked 
upon  them  as  more  valuable  than  gold  or  silver.     These 
were  presented  to  them  in  the  aggregate,  and  all  carried  in 
a  heavy   parcel   by  the   interpreter ;  and  when   they  had 
thanked  the  gentleman  for  his  munificent  liberality  and  got 
back  to  their  rooms,   a  scene  of  great  brilliancy  and  much 
interest  and  amusement  was  presented  for  an  hour  or  two, 
while  they  had  their  treasures  spread  out,  covering  half  of 
the  floor  on  which  they  lodged,  and  making  a  per  capita 
division  of  them. 


134  BOBASHEELA  AGAIN. 

In  the  midst  of  this  exhilarating  and  dazzling  scene,  their 
old  friend  Bobasheela  made  his  appearance,  having  just  ar 
rived  from  London  on  his  way  to  Cornwall.  He  could  not, 
he  said,  pass  within  a  hundred  miles  of  them  without  stop 
ping  to  see  them  a  few  days,  and  smoke  a  pipe  or  two  with 
them  again.  Bobasheela  was  stopped  at  the  door,  notwith 
standing  their  love  for  him  ;  he  could  not  step  in  without 
doing  sacrilege  with  his  muddy  boots  to  the  glittering  carpet 
of  buttons  which  they  had  formed  on  the  floor,  and  upon 
which  his  eyes  were  staring,  as  he  thought  at  the  first 
glance  they  could  have  committed  no  less  a  trespass  than  to 
have  plundered  a  jeweller's  shop.  A  way  was  soon  opened 
for  his  feet  to  pass,  and,  having  taken  a  hearty  shake  of  the 
hand  with  all,  he  was  offered  a  seat  on  the  floor,  and  in  a 
few  moments  found  that  an  equal  parcel  was  accumulating 
between  his  knees  as  in  front  of  each,  and  that,  instead  of 
fourteen,  they  were  now  dividing  them  into  fifteen  parcels. 
This  he  objected  to,  and  with  much  trouble  got  them  to 
undo  what  they  had  done,  and  go  back  to  the  first  regulation 
of  dividing  them  equally  amongst  fourteen. 

The  Shakspeare  Buildings  afforded  the  Indians  a  fine 
promenade  in  its  large  portico  overlooking  the  street,  where 
all  Birmingham  passed  before  their  eyes,  giving  them  one 
of  the  most  gratifying  privileges  they  had  had,  and  promis 
ing  them  a  rich  and  boundless  means  of  amusement ;  but 
their  enjoyment  of  it  was  short,  for  the  crowds  that  assem 
bled  in  the  streets  became  a  hinderance  to  business,  and  they 
were  denied  the  further  privilege  of  their  delightful  look-out. 
They  were  therefore  called  in,  and  stayed  in,  and  yet  the 
crowd  remained,  and  could  not  be  dispersed,  while  their 
attention  seemed  fixed  upon  some  object  higher  up  than 
the  portico,  which  led  us  at  once  to  surmise  its  cause,  and, 
searching  for  the  old  Doctor,  he  was  not  to  be  found  :  he  was, 
of  course,  upon  the  pinnacle  of  the  house,  wrapped  in  his  robe, 
smiling  upon  the  crowd  beneath  him,  and  taking  a  contem 
plative  gaze  over  the  city  and  country  that  lay  under  his 
view.  I  could  only  get  to  him  by  following  the  intricate 


CHARITY  OF  THE  INDIANS.  135 

mazes  through  which  the  old  lady  (curatress)  conducted  me, 
and  through  which  the  Doctor  said  he  had  required 
several  days  of  investigation  to  find  his  way,  and  which  he 
had  never  succeeded  in  until  just  at  that  moment. 

Under  this  rather  painful  embargo  there  was  no  satisfac 
tory  way  of  peeping  into  the  amusements  of  the  streets  but 
by  going  down  the  stairs,  which  Jim  and  his  ever-curious 
friend  the  Doctor  used  daily  and  almost  hourly  to  do,  and, 
standing  in  the  hall,  see  all  they  could  that  was  amusing, 
until  the  crowd  became  such  that  it  was  necessary  to  recall 
them  to  their  room.  On  one  of  these  occasions  they  had 
espied  a  miserably  poor  old  woman,  with  her  little  child, 
both  in  rags,  and  begging  for  the  means  of  existence.  The 
pity  of  the  kind  old  Doctor  was  touched,  and  he  beckoned 
her  to  come  to  him,  and  held  out  some  money ;  but  fear  was 
superior  to  want  with  her,  and  she  refused  to  take  the 
prize.  The  Doctor  went  for  Daniel,  who,  at  his  request, 
prevailed  upon  the  poor  woman  to  come  up  to  their 
room,  by  assuring  her  that  they  would  not  hurt  her, 
and  would  give  her  much  more  than  white  people 
would.  She  came  up  with  Daniel,  and  the  Indians,  all 
seated  on  the  floor,  lit  a  pipe  as  if  going  into  the  most  pro 
found  council ;  and  so  they  were,  for  with  hearts  sympa 
thizing  for  the  misery  and  poverty  of  this  pitiable-looking 
object,  a  white  woman  and  child  starving  to  death  amidst 
the  thousands  of  white  people  all  around  her  in  their  fine 
houses  and  with  all  their  wealth,  they  were  anxious  to  talk 
with  her,  and  find  out  how  it  was  that  she  should  not  be 
better  taken  care  of.  Jeffrey  was  called  to  interpret,  and 
Melody,  Bobasheela,  Daniel,  and  myself,  with  two  or  three 
friends  who  happened  to  be  with  us  at  the  time,  were  spec 
tators  of  the  scene  that  ensued.  The  War- chief  told  her  not 
to  be  frightened  nor  to  let  her  little  child  be  so,  for  they 
were  her  friends;  and  the  Doctor  walked  up  to  her, 
took  his  hand  out  from  under  his  robe,  put  five  shillings 
into  hers,  and  stepped  back.  The  poor  woman  curtsied 
several  times,  and,  crossing  her  hands  upon  her  breast,  as 


136  CHARITY  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

she  retreated  to  the  wall,  thanked  "  his  Honour"  for  his 
kindness.  "  The  Lard  be  with  your  Honours  for  your 
loving  kindness,  and  may  the  Lard  of  Haven  bless  you  to 
al  etarnity,  for  ee  niver  e  thaught  af  sich  threatment  fram 
sich  fraightful-lukin  gantleinin  as  ee  was  a  thakin  you 
toba." 

The  War-chief  then  said  to  her,  "  There,  you  see, by  the 
money  we  have  been  all  of  us  giving  out  of  our  purses,  that 
we  wish  to  make  you  happy  with  your  little  child,  that  you 
may  have  something  for  it  to  eat ;  you  see  now  that  we  don't 
wish  to  hurt  you,  and  we  shall  not ;  but  we  want  to  talk 
with  you  a  little,  and  before  we  talk  we  always  make  our 
presents,  if  we  have  anything  to  give.  We  are  here  poor, 
and  a  great  way  from  home,  where  we  also  have  our  little 
children  to  feed ;  but  the  Great  Spirit  has  been  kind  to  us, 
and  we  have  enough  to  eat."  To  this  the  Indians,  who 
were  passing  the  pipe  around,  all  responded  "  How  !  how  ! 

now  r 

The  old  chief  then  proceeded  to  ask  the  poor  woman  how 
she  became  so  poor,  and  why  the  white  people  did  not  take 
care  of  her  and  her  child.  She  replied  that  she  had  been 
in  the  workhouse,  and  her  husband  was  there  still ;  she  de 
scribed  also  the  manner  in  which  she  had  left  it,  and  how 
she  became  a  beggar  in  the  streets.  She  said  that  when 
she  and  her  husband  were  taken  into  the  poorhouse  they 
were  not  allowed  to  live  together,  and  that  she  would  rather 
die  than  live  in  that  way  any  longer,  or  rather  beg  for 
something  to  eat  in  the  streets  as  she  was  now  doing ;  and 
as  the  cold  weather  was  coming  in,  she  expected  her  child 
and  herself  would  be  soon  starved  to  death. 

The  poor  Indians,  women  and  all,  looked  upon  this  mise 
rable  shivering  object  of  pity,  in  the  midst  of  the  wealth 
and  luxuries  of  civilization,  as  a  mystery  they  could  not  ex 
pound,  and,  giving  way  to  impulses  that  they  could  feel  and 
appreciate,  the  women  opened  their  trunks  to  search  for 
presents  for  the  little  child,  and  by  White  Cloud's  order 
filled  her  lap  with  cold  meat  and  bread  sufficient  to  last 


CHARITY  OF  THE  INDIANS.  137 

them  for  a  day  or  two.  The  good  old  Doctor's  politeness 
and  sympathy  led  him  to  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  with  her, 
where  he  made  her  understand  by  signs  that  every  morning, 
when  the  %sun  was  up  to  a  place  that  he  pointed  to  with 
his  hand,  if  she  would  come,  she  would  get  food  enough  for 
herself  and  her  little  child  as  long  as  they  stayed  in  Bir 
mingham  ;  and  he  recollected  his  promise,  and  made  it  his 
especial  duty  every  morning  to  attend  to  his  pensioners  at 
the  hour  appointed.* 

The  moral  to  be  drawn  from  all  this  was  one  of  curious 
interest  and  results  in  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  and  a  long 
conversation  ensued  amongst  them,  in  which  Daniel  and 
their  friend  Bobasheela  (who  were  familiar  with  the  suffer 
ings  and  modes  of  treatment  of  the  poor)  took  part,  and 
which,  as  Melody  and  I  had  withdrawn,  afterwards  gave  us 
some  cause  to  regret  that  such  a  pitiable  object  of  charity 
had  been  brought  into  their  presence  for  the  temporary 
relief  they  could  give  her,  and  which  resulted  in  so  glaring 
an  account  of  the  sum  total  of  misery  and  poverty  that  was 
constantly  about  them,  of  the  extent  of  which  we  both  began 
to  think  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  kept  them 
ignorant.  Daniel  and  Bobasheela  had  opened  their  eyes  to 
the  system  of  poorhouses  and  other  public  establishments 
for  the  employment  and  protection  of  the  poor ;  and  until 
this  account,  which  was  already  entered  in  Jirns  book,  had 
been  given  them  by  these  two  knowing  politicians,,  they  had 
but  little  idea  of  this  enormous  item  that  was  to  go  into 
the  scales  in  weighing  the  blessings  of  civilization. 

Almost  daily  visits  were  now  being  made  to  their  private 
rooms  by  parties  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  Society  of 


*  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  and  due  to  these  kind-hearted  people,  that  I 
should  here  explain  that  this  was  by  no  means  a  solitary  instance  of  their 
benevolence  in  Birmingham.  Whenever  they  could  get  out  upon  the 
portico  to  look  into  the  streets,  they  threw  their  pence  to  the  poor  ; 
and  during  the  time  they  were  residing  in  London,  we  ascertained  to  a 
certainty  that  they  gave  away  to  poor  Lascars  and  others  in  the  streets,  from 
their  omnibus,  many  pounds  sterling. 


138  VISIT  TO  MISS  HUTTON. 

Friends,  with  whom  they  were  rapidly  advancing  into  the 
most  interesting  acquaintance,  and  which  I  observed  it  was 
affording  Mr.  Melody  almost  unspeakable  satisfaction  to 
behold.  They  were  kindly  invited  to  several  houses,  and 
treated  at  their  tables  with  the  greatest  friendship.  Of 
these,  there  was  one  visit  that  it  would  be  wrong  for  me  to 
overlook  and  to  neglect  to  give  here  the  notes  that  I  made 
of  it  at  the  time. 

A  note  was  written  to  me  in  a  bold  and  legible  hand 
by  Miss  Catherine  Hutton,  desiring  to  know  "at  what  hour 
it  would  be  suitable  for  her  to  come  from  her  house,  a  few 
miles  out  of  town,  to  see  the  Indians  (for  whom  she  had 
always  had  a  great  love),  so  as  not  to  meet  a  crowd,  for  her 
health  was  not  very  good,  being  in  the  ninety-first  year 
of  her  age."  This  venerable  and  most  excellent  lady  I 
held  in  the  highest  respect,  from  a  correspondence  I  had 
held  with  her  on  the  subject  of  the  Indians  ever  since  I  had 
been  in  England,  though  I  never  had  seen  her.  Her  letters 
had  always  teemed  with  love  and  kindness  for  these  be 
nighted  people,  and  also  with  thanks  to  me  for  having  done 
so  much  as  I  had  for  their  character  and  history.  I  there 
fore  deemed  it  proper  to  respond  to  her  kindness  by  pro 
posing  to  take  the  whole  party  to  her  house  and  pay  her 
the  visit.  Her  note  was  answered  with  that  proposition, 
which  gave  her  great  pleasure,  and  we  took  a  carriage  and 
went  to  her  delightful  residence. 

We  were  received  with  unbounded  kindness  by  this  most 
excellent  and  remarkable  lady,  and  spent  a  couple  of  hours 
under  her  hospitable  roof  with  great  satisfaction  to  ourselves, 
and  with  much  pleasure  to  her,  as  her  letter  to  me  on  the 
following  day  fully  evinced.*  After  a  personal  introduction 

*  Bennett's  Hill,  near  Birmingham,  Nov.  1st,  1844. 

My  dear  Mr.  Catlin, — I  have  seen  the  nobility  of  England  at  a  birth- 
night  ball  in  St.  James's  palace.  I  have  seen  the  King  and  Queen  move 
around  the  circle,  stopping  to  speak  to  every  individual,  and  I  have  wondered 
what  they  could  have  to  say.  I  have  seen  the  Prince  of  Wales  (afterwards 
George  the  Fourth)  open  the  ball  with  a  minuet,  and  afterwards  dance 


VISIT  TO  MISS  BUTTON.  139 

to  each  one  in  turn,  as  she  desired,  and  half  an  hour's  con 
versation,  they  were  invited  into  an  adjoining  room  to  a 
breakfast-table  loaded  with  the  luxuries  she  had  thought 
most  grateful  to  their  tastes.  This  finished,  another  half- 
hour  or  more  was  passed  in  the  most  interesting  conversa 
tion,  containing  her  questions  and  their  answers,  and  her 
Christian  advice  to  prepare  their  minds  for  the  world  to 
which,  said  she,  tf  we  must  all  go  soon,  and,  for  myself,  I  am 
just  going,  and  am  ready."  When  we  were  about  to  take  our 
leave  of  her,  she  called  each  one  up  in  succession,  and,  having 
a  quantity  of  money  in  silver  half-crowns  placed  on  the  sofa 
by  her  side,  she  dealt  it  out  to  them  as  they  came  up,  shaking 
hands  at  the  same  time  and  bidding  each  one  a  lasting  fare 
well,  em  bracing  each  of  the  women  and  children  in  her  arms 
and  kissing  them  as  she  took  leave.  This  kindness  melted 
their  hearts  to  tears,  and  brought  old  Neu-mon-ya  (the 
War-chief)  up  before  her  at  full  length,  to  make  the  fol 
lowing  remarks  : — 

"  My  Friend, — The  Great  Spirit  has  opened  your  heart  to  feel  a  friend 
ship  for  the  red  people,  and  we  are  thankful  to  Him  for  it.  We  have  been 
happy  to  see  your  face  to-day,  and  our  hearts  will  never  forget  your  kind 
ness.  You  have  put  a  great  deal  of  money  into  our  hands,  which  will  help 

down  a  country  dance  ;  and  I  thought  him  a  handsome  young  man,  and  a 
fine  dancer.  This  was  in  the  year  1780. 

Yesterday,  as  you  well  know,  for  you  brought  them  to  visit  me,  I  saw 
the  fourteen  loway  Indians.  I  shook  hands  with  each,  and  told  them, 
through  the  interpreter,  that  red  men  were  my  friends.  I  looked  at  them, 
as  they  were  seated  in  a  half-circle  in  my  drawing-room,  immoveable  as 
•  statues,  and  magnificently  dressed  in  their  own  costume,  with  astonishment. 
I  had  never  seen  a  spectacle  so  imposing.  At  my  request,  you  presented 
them  to  me  separately — first  the  men,  and  then  the  women  and  children — 
and  I  gave  each  a  small  present,  for  which  they  were  so  thankful.  At 
parting,  the  War-chief  stood  before  me  and  made  a  speech,  thanking  me 
for  my  kindness  to  them,  which  they  should  long  recollect,  and  saying, 
"  that,  although  we  should  meet  no  more  in  this  world,  yet  he  hoped  the 
Great  Spirit  would  make  us  meet  in  the  next."  The  action  of  the  chief 
was  free  and  natural,  and  most  graceful ;  far  superior  to  anything  I  ever 
saw.  Indeed,  these  people  are  the  nobility  of  nature. 

I  am,  my  dear  Sir,  your  very  obliged  and  very  respectful 

CATHERINE  HUTTOX. 


140  NUMEROUS  VISITS. 

to  feed  our  little  children,  and  the  Great  Spirit  will  not  forget  this  when 
you  go  before  him. 

"  My  kind  Mother, — You  are  very  old.  Your  life  has  been  good  ;  and 
the  Great  Spirit  has  allowed  you  to  live  to  see  us ;  and  He  will  soon  call 
you  to  Him.  We  live  a  great  way  from  here,  and  we  shall  not  look  upon 
your  face  again  in  this  world  ;  though  we  all  believe  that,  if  we  behave 
well  enough,  we  shall  see  your  face  in  the  world  to  come." 

The  chief  here  stopped,  and,  shaking  her  hand  again, 
withdrew.  The  excellent  lady  was  overwhelmed  in  tears, 
and  called  to  her  maid,  "  Betty,  bring  all  the  silver  that  I 
left  in  the  drawer  there ;  bring  the  whole  of  it  and  divide 
it  among  them ;  my  eyes  are  so  weak  that  I  cannot  see  it — 
give  it  to  them,  dear  creatures  !  May  God  bless  their  dear 
souls !"  Such  had  been  the  meeting,  and  such  were  her 
parting  words  as  we  came  away. 

The  Indians  continued  to  speak  in  terms  of  the  greatest 
admiration  of  this  kind  old  lady,  and  the  certainty  that  they 
should  never  see  her  face  again  made  them  for  some  days 
contemplative  and  sad.  They  had  many  civilities  extended 
to  them  in  town,  however,  which  were  calculated  to  dissipate 
melancholy  and  contemplation.  Their  repeated  visits  to 
the  house  and  the  table  of  Doctor  Percy  were  exceedingly 
pleasing  to  them,  where  they  were  amused  with  experiments 
in  electricity  and  galvanism,  and  other  chemical  results, 
to  them  new,  and  far  beyond  the  reach  of  their  compre 
hensions. 

Their  days  and  nights  were  now  passing  away  very  plea 
santly,  visited  by  and  visiting  so  many  kind  friends,  doing 
all  they  could  to  make  them  happy — giving  their  nightly 
amusements  at  the  Shakspearian  Rooms,  and  enjoying  the 
society  and  western  jokes  of  their  old  friend  Bobashecla, 
and,  after  their  dinners  and  suppers,  their  other  old  friend, 
chickabobboo. 

About  this  time  some  very  kindly-disposed  friends  pro 
posed  that  a  couple  of  nights  of  their  exhibitions  should  be 
given  in  the  immense  room  of  the  Town-hall,  and  one  half 
of  the  receipts  be  presented  to  the  two  hospitals,  representing 
that  upon  such  conditions  they  thought  the  use  of  the  hall 


THE  INDIANS  AT  THE  TOWN-HALL.  141 

would  be  granted  free  of  expense,  and  believing  that  the 
results  would  be  beneficial  to  both  parties.  Mr.  Melody 
and  I  at  once  consented,  and,  the  entertainments  on  those  two 
nights  being  for  a  charitable  purpose,  the  crowds  that  came 
in  were  very  great,  and  the  receipts  beyond  what  we  ex 
pected,  the  profits  being  145/.  12s. ,  the  half  of  which, 
7 '21.  16^.,  the  low  ays  presented  to  the  two  hospitals,  and  on 
the  following  day  were  invited  to  attend  at  the  Town-hall 
at  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  receive  an  acknowledg 
ment  of  it  from  the  venerable  Presidents  of  the  two  institu 
tions,  and  to  hear  an  address  which  was  prepared  to  be  read 
and  given  to  them.  The  Indians  met  the  two  kind  and 
excellent  gentlemen  (both  of  whom  were  Friends),  and  many 
others,  both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  of  their  society  ;  and 
seeing  the  results  of  this  meeting  likely  to  be  of  a  very  inte 
resting  nature,  I  took  pains  to  make  notes  of  all  that  was 
said  on  the  occasion.  The  venerable  Mr.  R.  T.  Cadbury, 
from  the  General  Hospital,  in  a  very  impressive  manner, 
and  suited  to  their  understandings,  explained  to  the  Indians, 
through  their  interpreter,  the  purpose  for  which  the  hos 
pital  was  built  and  carried  on,  after  which  he  read  the  fol 
lowing  resolution,  which  had  been  passed  at  the  weekly 
meeting  of  the  Board  of  Governors  on  the  preceding  day  :— 

"  Resolved, — That  the  Chairman  be  requested  to  present  the  thanks  of 
this  Board  to  Mr.  Catlin,  Mr.  Melody,  and  the  loway  Indians,  for  the 
donation  of  36/.  85.,  being  a  moiety  of  the  net  proceeds  of  two  exhibitions 
made  for  the  benefit  of  the  two  hospitals  at  the  Town-hall ;  and  to  assure 
them  their  generous  gift  shall  be  faithfully  applied  to  the  relief  of  the  sick 
and  maimed,  for  whose  benefit  the  said  hospital  was  instituted,  and  for 
sixty-five  years  has  been  supported  by  voluntary  donations  and  subscriptions." 

After  reading  this,  Mr.  Cadbury  presented  to  each  of 
them  a  copy  of  the  annual  report  and  rules  of  the  institu 
tion,  and  expressed  a  hope  that  all  of  them  would  reach 
their  distant  homes  in  safety,  and  that  their  visit  to  this 
country  would  be  beneficial  to  them. 

The  chief,  White  Cloud,  shook  hands  with  Mr.  Cadbury, 
and  replied  as  follows  : — 


142  WHITE  CLOUD'S  SPEECH. 

"  My  Friend, — I  have  very  few  remarks  to  make  to  you.  We  are  all 
very  thankful  to  you  for  the  speech  you  have  made  to  us,  and  for  the  prayer 
you  have  made  that  we  may  all  reach  home  safe.  Those  words  pleased  all 
my  people  here  very  much,  and  we  thank  you  for  them. 

"  My  Friend, — We  have  now  been  some  time  in  England,  and,  amongst 
all  the  words  of  friendship  we  have  heard,  nothing  has  been  more  pleasing 
to  us  than  the  words  we  have  heard  from  your  lips.  We  have  seen  some  of 
the  greatest  men  in  this  country,  and  none  have  delighted  us  so  much  as 
you  have  by  the  way  in  which  you  have  spoken  ;  and  we  believe  that  the 
service  we  have  rendered  to  the  hospital  will  be  looked  on  with  mutual 
satisfaction. 

"  My  Friend, — The  Americans  have  been  long  trying  to  civilize  us,  and 
we  now  begin  to  see  the  advantages  of  it,  and  hope  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  will  do  us  some  good.  I  hope  some  of  the  people  of  my 
nation  will  place  their  children  with  white  people,  that  they  may  see  how 
the  white  children  live. 

"  My  Friend, — I  have  nothing  more  to  say,  but  to  thank  you." 

After  the  speech  of  White  Cloud,,  Mr.  J.  Cadbury,  at  the 
head  of  a  deputation  from  the  "  Temperance  Society"  (to 
which  the  Indians  had  sent  also  the  sum  of  36Z.  85.),  pre 
sented  himself,  and  read  an  address  from  that  association, 
thanking  them  for  the  amount  received,  and  advising  the 
Indians  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  "fire-water"  and  to  prac 
tise  charity,  which  was  one  of  the  greatest  of  virtues. 

Mr.  Cadbury  then  addressed  the  Indians,  in  all  the 
fervency  and  earnestness  of  prayer,  on  the  all-important 
subject  of  temperance.  His  words  and  sentences,  selected 
for  their  simple  understandings,  were  in  the  simplicity,  and 
consequently  the  eloquence  of  nature,  and  seemed  to  \vin 
their  highest  admiration  and  attention.  He  painted  to 
them  in  vivid  colours  the  horrors  and  vice  of  intemper 
ance,  and  its  consequences;  and  also  the  beauty  and  love 
liness  of  sobriety,  and  truth,  and  charity,  which  he  hoped 
and  should  pray  that  they  might  practise  in  the  wilderness^ 
with  constant  prayers  to  the  Great  Spirit  in  the  heavens, 
when  they  returned  to  their  own  country. 

When  this  venerable  gentleman's  remarks  were  finished, 
the  old  Doctor  (or  Medicine-man)  arose  from  his  seat  upon 
the  floor,  with  his  pipe  in  his  lips,  and,  advancing,  shook  hands 


THE  OLD  DOCTOR'S  SPEECH.  143 

with  the  two  Messrs.  Cadbury,  and,  handing  his  pipe  to  the 
chief,  spoke  as  follows : — 

"  My  Friends, — I  rise  to  thank  you  for  the  words  you  have  spoken  to 
us  :  they  have  been  kind,  and  we  are  thankful  for  them. 

"  My  Friends, — When  I  am  at  home  in  the  wilderness,  as  well  as  when 
I  am  amongst  you,  I  always  pray  to  the  Great  Spirit ;  and  I  believe  the 
chiefs  and  the  warriors  of  my  tribe,  and  even  the  women  also,  pray  every 
day  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  He  has  therefore  been  very  kind  to  us. 

"  My  Friends, — We  have  been  this  day  taken  by  the  hand  in  friendship, 
and  this  gives  us  great  consolation.  Your  friendly  words  have  opened  our 
ears,  and  your  words  of  advice  will  not  be  forgotten. 

"  My  Friends, — You  have  advised  us  to  be  charitable  to  the  poor,  and 
we  have  this  day  handed  you  360  dollars  to  help  the  poor  in  your  hospitals. 
We  have  not  time  to  see  those  poor  people,  but  we  know  you  will  make 
good  use  of  the  money  for  them  ;  and  we  shall  be  happy  if,  by  our  coming 
this  way,  we  shall  have  made  the  poor  comfortable. 

11  My  Friends, — We  Indians  are  poor,  and  we  cannot  do  much  charity. 
The  Great  Spirit  has  been  kind  to  us  though  since  we  came  to  this  country, 
and  wre  have  given  altogether  more  than  200  dollars  to  the  poor  people  in 
the  streets  of  London  before  we  came  here ;  and  I  need  not  tell  you  that 
this  is  not  the  first  day  that  we  have  given  to  the  poor  in  this  city. 

"My  Friends, — If  we  were  rich,  like  many  white  men  in  this  country, 
the  poor  people  we  see  around  the  streets  in  this  cold  weather,  with  their 
little  children  barefooted  and  begging,  would  soon  get  enough  to  eat,  and 
clothes  to  keep  them  warm. 

"  My  Friends,— It  has  made  us  unhappy  to  see  the  poor  people  begging 
for  something  to  eat  since  we  came  to  this  country.  In  our  country  we  are 
all  poor,  but  the  poor  all  have  enough  to  eat,  and  clothes  to  keep  them 
warm.  We  have  seen  your  poorhouses,  and  been  in  them,  and  we  think 
them  very  good  ;  but  we  think  there  should  be  more  of  them,  and  that  the 
rich  men  should  pay  for  them. 

"  My  Friends, — We  admit  that  before  we  left  home  we  all  were  fond 
of  '  fire-water'  but  in  this  country  we  have  not  drunk  it.  Your  words 
are  good,  and  we  know  it  is  a  great  sin  to  drink  it.  Your  words  to  us  on 
that  subject,  can  do  but  little  good,  for  we  are  but  a  few ;  but  if  you  can 
tell  them  to  the  white  people,  who  make  the  'fire-water,'  and  bring  it 
into  our  country  to  sell,  and  can  tell  them  also  to  the  thousands  whom  we  see 
drunk  with  it  in  this  country,  then  we  think  you  may  do  a  great  deal  of 
good  ;  and  we  believe  the  Great  Spirit  will  reward  you  for  it. 

11  My  Friends, — It  makes  us  unhappy,  in  a  country  where  there  is  so 
much  wealth,  to  see  so  many  poor  and  hungry,  and  so  many  as  we  see 
drunk.  We  know  you  are  good  people,  and  kind  to  the  poor,  and  we  give 
you  our  hands  at  parting  ;  praying  that  the  Great  Spirit  will  assist  you  in 
taking  care  of  the  poor,  and  making  people  sober. 
"  My  Friends, — I  have  no  more  to  say." 


144  JIM'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

Temperance  medals  were  then  given  to  each  of  the 
Indians,  and  the  deputation  took  leave. 

A  council  was  held  that  evening  in  the  Indians'  apart 
ments,  and  several  pipes  smoked,  during  which  time  the 
conversation  ran  upon  numerous  topics,  the  first  of  which  was 
the  interesting  meeting  they  had  held  that  day,  and  on 
several  former  occasions,  with  the  Friends,  and  which  good 
people  they  were  about  to  leave,  and  they  seemed  fearful 
they  should  meet  none  others  in  their  travels.  They  were 
passing  their  comments  upon  the  vast  numbers  which  Daniel 
and  Bobasheela  had  told  them  there  actually  were  of  poor 
people  shut  up  in  the  poorhouses,  besides  those  in  the 
streets,  and  underground  in  the  coal-pits ;  and  concluded 
that  the  numerous  clergymen  they  had  to  preach  to  them, 
and  to  keep  them  honest  and  sober,  were  not  too  many, 
but  they  thought  they  even  ought  to  have  more,  and  should 
at  least  keep  all  they  had  at  home,  instead  of  sending  them 
to  preach  to  the  Indians.  Jim  was  busy  poring  over  his 
note-book,  and  getting  Daniel  to  put  down  in  round  num 
bers  the  amount  of  poor  in  the  poorhouses  and  in  the 
streets,  which  they  had  found  in  some  newspaper.  And 
he  was  anxious  to  have  down  without  any  mistake  the  large 
sum  of  money  they  had  presented  to  the  hospitals,  so  that 
when  they  got  home  they  could  tell  of  the  charity  they 
had  done  in  England ;  and  if  ever  they  got  so  poor  as  to 
have  to  beg,  they  would  have  a  good  paper  to  beg  with. 
The  sum,  in  American  currency  (as  they  know  less  of 
pounds,  shillings,  and  pence),  amounted  to  the  respectable 
one  of  370  dollars. 

This  last  night's  talk  in  Birmingham  was  rather  a  gloomy 
one,  for  it  was  after  leave  had  been  taken  of  all  friends. 
Bobasheela  was  to  start  in  the  morning  for  Liverpool,  and 
I  for  London,  where  I  had  been  summoned  to  attend  as  a 
witness  in  court,  and  Mr.  Melody  and  the  Indians  were  to 
leave  for  Nottingham  and  other  towns  in  the  north.  So  at 
a  late  hour  we  parted,  and  early  in  the  morning  set  out 
for  our  different  destinations,  bearing  with  us  many  warm 


DEPARTURE  FROM  BIRMINGHAM.  145 

attachments  formed  during  our  short  stay  in  the  beautiful 
town  of  Birmingham. 

For  what  befel  these  good  fellows  in  Nottingham  and 
Leeds  there  will  probably  be  no  historian,  as  I  was  not  with 
them.  1  commenced  with  them  in  York,,  where  I  became 
again  the  expounder  of  their  habits  and  mysteries,  and  was 
delighted  to  meet  them  on  classic  ground,  where  there  is  so 
much  to  engage  the  attention  and  admiration  of  civilized  or 
savage.  I  'md  visited  York  on  a  former  occasion,  and 
had  the  most  irdent  wish  to  be  present  at  this  time,  and  to 
conduct  these  .  ude  people  into  the  noble  cathedral,  and  on 
to  its  grand  tower.  I  had  this  pleasure ;  and  in  it  accom 
plished  one  of  my  favourite  designs  in  accompanying  them 
on  their  northern  tour. 

On  my  return  from  London  I  had  joined  the  Indians 
at  Leeds,  where  they  had  been  exhibiting  for  some  days, 
and  found  them  just  ready  to  start  for  York.  I  was  their 
companion  by  the  railway,  therefore,  to  that  ancient  and 
venerable  city ;  and  made  a  note  or  two  on  an  occurrence 
of  an  amusing  nature  which  happened  on  the  way.  When 
we  were  within  a  few  miles  of  the  town  the  Indians  were 
suddenly  excited  and  startled  by  the  appearance  of  a  party 
of  fox-hunters,  forty  or  fifty  in  number,  following  their 
pack  in  full  cry,  having  just  crossed  the  track  ahead  of  the 
train. 

This  was  a  subject  entirely  new  to  them  and  unthought  of 
by  the  Indians ;  and,  knowing  that  English  soldiers  all  wore 
red  coats,  they  were  alarmed,  their  first  impression  being  that 
we  had  brought  them  on  to  hostile  ground,  and  that  this 
was  a  "  war-party"  in  pursuit  of  their  enemy.  They  were 
relieved  and  excessively  amused  when  I  told  them  it  was 
merely  a  fox-hunt,  and  that  the  gentlemen  they  saw 
riding  were  mostly  noblemen  and  men  of  great  influence 
and  wealth.  They  watched  them  intensely  until  they  were 
out  of  sight,  and  made  many  amusing  remarks  about  them 
after  we  had  arrived  at  York.  I  told  them  they  rode  with 
out  guns,  and  the  first  one  in  at  the  death  pulled  off  the 

VOL.   II.  L 


146  VISIT  TO  YORK  MINSTER. 

tail  of  the  fox  and  rode  into  town  with  it  under  his  hatband. 
Their  laughter  was  excessive  at  the  idea  of  "such  gentlemen 
hunting  ifi  open  fields,  and  with  a  whip  instead  of  a  gun  ; 
and  that  great  chiefs,  as  I  had  pronounced  them,  should  be 
risking  their  lives,,  and  the  limbs  of  their  fine  horses,  for  a 
poor  fox,  the  flesh  of  which,  even  if  it  were  good  to  eat,  was 
not  wanted  by  such  rich  people,  who  had  meat  enough  at 
home ;  and  the  skin  of  which  could  not  be  worth  so  much 
trouble,  especially  when,,  as  everybody  knows,  it  is  good 
for  nothing  when  the  tail  is  pulled  off." 

On  our  arrival  in  York  one  of  the  first  and  most  often 
repeated  questions  which  they  put  was,  whether  there  were 
any  of  the  "  good  people,"  as  they  now  called  them,  the 
Friends,  living  there.  I  told  them  it  was  a  place  where  a 
great  many  of  them  lived,,  and  no  doubt  many  would  come 
to  see  them,  which  seemed  to  please  and  encourage  them 
very  much.  Mr.  Melody  having  taken  rooms  for  them  near 
to  the  York  Minster,,  of  which  they  had  a  partial  view  from 
their  windows,  their  impatience  became  so  great  that  we 
sallied  out  the  morning  after  our  arrival  to  pay  the  first 
visit  to  that  grand  and  venerable  pile.  The  reader  has 
doubtless  seen  or  read  of  this  sublime  edifice,  and  I  need 
not  attempt  to  describe  it  here.  Were  it  in  my  power 
to  portray  the  feelings  which  agitated  the  breasts  of  these 
rude  people  when  they  stood  before  this  stupendous 
fabric  of  human  hands,  and  as  they  passed  through  its 
aisles,  amid  its  huge  columns,  and  under  its  grand 
arches,  I  should  be  glad  to  do  it ;  but  those  feelings  which 
they  enjoyed  in  the  awful  silence,  were  for  none  but 
themselves  to  know.  We  all  followed  the  guide,  who 
showed  and  explained  to  us  all  that  was  worth  seeing 
below,  and  then  showed  us  the  way  by  which  we  were 
to  reach  the  summit  of  the  grand  or  middle  tower,  where 
the  whole  party  arrived  after  a  laborious  ascent  of  273 
steps.  We  had  luckily  selected  a  clear  day  ;  and  the  giddy 
height  from  which  we  gazed  upon  the  town  under  our 
feet,  and  the  lovely  landscape  in  the  distance  all  around 


VISIT  TO  YORK  MINSTER.  147 

us,  afforded  to  the  Indians  a  view  far  more  wonderful 
than  their  eyes  had  previously  beheld.  Whilst  we  were 
all  engaged  in  looking  upon  the  various  scenes  that  lay 
like  the  lines  upon  a  map  beneath  us,  the  old  Doctor, 
with  his  propensity  which  has  been  spoken  of  before, 
had  succeede  1  in  getting  a  little  higher  than  any  of  the 
rest  of  the  paiVy,  by  climbing  on  to  the  little  house  erected 
over  the  gangway  through  which  we  entered  upon  the 
roof;  and,  upon  the  pinnacle  of  this,  for  a  while  stood 
smiling  down  upon  the  thousands  of  people  who  were 
gathering  in  the  streets.  He  was  at  length,  however,  seen 
to  assume  a  more  conspicuous  attitude  by  raising  his  head 
and  his  eyes  towards  the  sky,  and  for  some  moments  he 
devoutly  addressed  himself  to  the  Great  Spirit,  whom 
the  Indians  always  contemplate  as  "in  the  heavens,  above 
the  clouds."  When  he  had  finished  this  invocation,  he 
slowly  and  carefully  descended  on  to  the  roof,  and  as  he 
joined  his  friends  he  observed  that  when  he  was  up  there 
"  he  was  nearer  to  the  Great  Spirit  than  he  had  ever  been 
before,"  The  War-chief  excited  much  merriment  by  his 
sarcastic  reply,  that  "it  was  a  pity  he  did  not  stay  there, 
for  he  would  never  be  so  near  the  Great  Spirit  again."  The 
Doctor  had  no  way  of  answering  this  severe  retort,  except 
by  a  silent  smile,  as,  with  his  head  turned  away,  he  gazed  on 
the  beautiful  landscape  beneath  him.  When  we  descended 
from  the  tower,  the  Indians  desired  to  advance  again  to 
the  centre  of  this  grand  edifice,  where  they  stood  for  a  few 
minutes  with  their  hands  covering  their  mouths,  as  they 
gazed  upon  the  huge  columns  around  them  and  the  stupen 
dous  arches  over  their  heads,  and  at  last  came  silently  away, 
and  I  believe  inspired  with  greater  awe  and  respect  for 
the  religion  of  white  men  than  they  had  ever  felt  before. 

Our  stay  of  three  days  in  York  was  too  short  for  the 
Indians  to  make  many  acquaintances;  but  at  their  exhi 
bitions  they  saw  many  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  these, 
as  in  other  places,  came  forward  to  offer  them  their  hands 
and  invite  them  to  their  houses. 

i    9 


148  VISIT  TO  YORK  CASTLE. 

Amongst  the  invitations  they  received  was  one  from  the 
governor  of  the  Castle,  who  with  great  kindness  conducted  us 
through  the  various  apartments  of  the  prison,  explaining 
the  whole  of  its  system  and  discipline  to  us.  We  were 
shown  the  various  cells  for  different  malefactors,  with 
their  inmates  in  them,  which  no  doubt  conveyed  to  the 
minds  of  the  Indians  new  ideas  of  white  men's  iniquities, 
and  the  justice  of  civilized  laws. 

When  we  were  withdrawing  we  were  invited  to  ex 
amine  a  little  museum  of  weapons  which  had  been  used 
by  various  convicts  to  commit  the  horrid  deeds  for  which 
they  had  suffered  death  or  transportation.  A  small  room, 
surrounded  by  a  wire  screen,  was  devoted  to  these,  and  as 
it  was  unlocked  we  were  invited  in,  and  found  one  wall  of 
the  room  completely  covered  with  these  shocking  records  of 
crime. 

The  turnkey  to  this  room  stepped  in,  and  in  a  spirit  of 
the  greatest  kindness,  with  a  rod  in  his  hand  to  point  with, 
commenced  to  explain  them,  and  of  course  add  to  their 
interest,  in  the  following  manner  : — • 

"  You  see  here,  gentlemen,  the  weapons  that  have  been  used  in  the 
commission  of  murders  by  persons  who  have  been  tried  and  hung  in  this 
place,  or  transported  for  life.  That  long  gun  which  you  see  there  is  the 
identical  gun  that  Dyon  shot  his  father  with.  He  was  hung. 

"  That  club  and  iron  coulter  you  see  there,  gentlemen,  were  used  by  two 
highwaymen,  who  killed  the  gatekeeper,  near  Sheffield,  by  knocking  out 
his  brains,  and  afterwards  robbed  him.  They  were  both  hung. 

"  This  club  and  razor  here,  gentlemen  (you  see  the  blood  on  the  razor 
now),  were  used  by  Thompson,  who  killed  his  wife.  He  knocked  her 
down  with  this  club,  and  cut  her  throat  with  this  identical  razor. 

u  This  leather  strap — gentlemen,  do  you  see  it  ?  Well,  this  strap  was 
taken  from  a  calf's  neck  by  Benjamin  Holrough,  and  he  hung  his  father 
with  it.  He  was  hung  here. 

"  That  hedging-bill,  razor,  and  tongs,  gentlemen,  were  the  things  used 
by  Healy  and  Terry,  who  knocked  an  old  woman  down,  cut  her  throat, 
and  buried  her.  They  were  hung  in  this  prison. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,  we  come  to  that  hammer  and  razor  you  see  there. 
With  that  same  hammer  Mary  Crowther  knocked  her  husband  down,  and 
then  with  that  razor  cut  his  throat.  She  was  hung. 

"  Do  you  see  that  club,  gentlemen  ?    That  is  the  club  with  which  Turner 


VISIT  TO  YORK  CASTLE.  149 

and  Swihill,  or^y  nineteen  years  of  age,  murdered  the  bookkeeper  near 
Sheffield.  Bot>  were  hung. 

'-•  Do  you  see  his  short  gun,  gentlemen?  This  is  the  very  gun  with 
which  Dobson  she  '•  his  father.  He  was  hung. 

"This  hat,  gentlemen,  with  a  hole  in  it,  was  the  hat  of  Johnson,  who 
was  murdered  near  Sheffield.  The  hole  you  see  is  where  the  blow  was 
struck  that  killed  him." 

The  Indians,  who  had  looked  on  these  things  and  listened 
to  these  recitals  with  a  curious  interest  at  first,  were  now 
becoming  a  little  uneasy,  and  the  old  Doctor,  who  smiled 
upon  several  of  the  first  descriptions,  now  showed  symptoms 
of  evident  disquiet,  retreating  behind  the  party,  and  towards 
the  door. 

"  Do  you  see  this  knife  and  bloody  cravat,  gentlemen  ?  With  that  same 
knife  John  James  stuck  the  bailiff  through  the  cravat,  and  killed  him.  He 
u-as  executed  here. 

"  A  fire-poker,  gentlemen,  with  which  King  murdered  his  wife  near 
Sheffield.  He  was  hung  here. 

"  These  things,  gentlemen — this  fork,  poker,  and  bloody  shoes — with 
this  poker  Hallet  knocked  his  wife  down,  and  stabbed  her  with  the  fork  5 
and  the  shoes  have  got  the  blood  on  them  yet.  Hallet  was  hung. 

11  That  rope  there  is  the  one  in  which  Bardsley  was  hung,  who  killed  his 
own  father. 

"  A  bloody  axe  and  poker,  gentlemen.  With  that  axe  and  poker  an 
old  woman  killed  a  little  boy.  She  then  drowned  herself.  She  was  not 
executed. 

"  This  shoe-knife,  gentlemen,  is  one  that  Robert  Noll  killed  his  wife 
with  in  Sheffield.  He  was  executed. 

11  Another  knife,  with  which  Rogers  killed  a  man  in  Sheffield.  He 
ripped  his  bowels  out  with  it.  He  was  hung. 

11  A  club,  and  stone,  and  hat,  gentlemen.  With  this  club  and  stone 
Blackburn  was  murdered,  and  that  was  his  hat :  you  see  how  it  is  all  broken 
and  bloody.  This  was  done  by  four  men.  All  hung. 

"  The  hat  and  hammer  here,  gentlemen — these  belonged  to  two  robbers. 
One  met  the  other  in  a  wood,  and  killed  him  with  the  hammer.  He 
was  hung. 

"  That  scythe  and  pitchfork,  you  see,  gentlemen  " 

When  our  guide  had  thus  far  explained,  and  Jeffrey  had 
translated  to  the  Indians,  I  observed  the  old  Doctor  quite 
outside  of  the  museum-room,  and  with  his  robe  wrapped  close 
around  him,  casting  his  eyes  around  in  all  directions,  and 
evidently  in  great  uneasiness.  He  called  for  the  party  to 


150  THE  INDIANS'  REFLECTIONS. 

come  out,  for,  said  he,  "  I  do  not  think  this  is  a  good  place 
for  us  to  stay  in  any  longer."  We  all  thought  it  was  as  well,, 
for  the  turnkey  had  as  yet  not  described  one-third  of  his 
curiosities ;  so  we  thanked  him  for  his  kindness,  and  took 
leave  of  him  and  his  interesting  museum. 

We  were  then  conducted  by  the  governor's  request  to 
the  apartments  of  his  family,  where  he  and  his  kind  lady 
and  daughters  received  the  Indians  and  ourselves  with 
much  kindness,  having  his  table  prepared  with  refresh 
ments,  and,  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Indians  (after 
their  fatigue  of  body  as  well  as  of  mind),  with  plenty  of  the 
Queen  s  chickabolboo. 

The  sight-seeing  of  this  day  and  the  exhibition  at  night 
finished    our    labours    in    the    interesting    town    of  York, 
where   I   have  often  regretted  we  did  riot  remain  a  little 
longer  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  numerous  and  kind  invita 
tions  which  were  extended  to  us  before  we  left.     After  our 
labours  were  all  done,  and  the   Indians  had  enjoyed  their 
suppers  and  their  chickabolloo,  we  had  a  pipe  together,  and 
a  sort  of  recapitulation  of  what  we  had  seen  and  heard  since 
we  arrived.     The  two  most  striking  subjects  of  the  gossip 
of  this  evening  were  the  cathedral  and  the  prison ;  the  one 
seemed   to  have  filled  their  minds  with  astonishment  and 
admiration  at  the  ingenuity  and   power  of  civilized   man, 
and  the  other  with  surprise  and  horror  at  his  degradation 
and   wickedness;  and  evidently  with  some  alarm   for    the 
safety  of  their  persons  in  such  a  vicinity  of  vice  as  they  had 
reason  to  believe  they  were  in  from  the  evidences  they  had 
seen  during  the  day.     The  poor  old  Doctor  was  so  anxious 
for  the  next  morning  to  dawn,  that  wre  might  be  on  our 
wray,  that  he  had  become  quite  nervous  and  entirely  con 
templative  and   unsociable.     They  had  heard  such  a  cata 
logue  of  murders  and  executions    explained,  though  they 
knew  that  we  had  but  begun   with  the  list,   and  saw  so 
many  incarcerated  in  the  prison,  some  awaiting  their  trial, 
others  who  had  been  convicted  and  were  under   sentence 
of  death    or  transportation,  and    others    again    pining   in 


THE  DOCTOR'S  ALARM.  151 

their  cells,  and  weeping  for  their  wives  and  children 
(merely  because  they  could  not  yjay  the  money  that  they 
owed),  that  they  became  horrified  and  alarmed;  and  as  it 
was  the  first  place  where  they  had  seen  an  exhibition  of 
this  kind,  there  was  some  reason  for  the  poor  fellows' 
opinions  that  they  were  in  the  midst  of  the  wickedest 
place  in  the  world. 

They  said  that,  from  the  grandeur  and  great  number  of 
their  churches,  they  thought  they  ought  to  be  one  of  the 
most  honest  and  harmless  people  they  had  been  amongst, 
but  instead  of  that  they  were  now  convinced  they  must  be 
the  very  worst,  and  the  quicker  Mr.  Melody  made  arrange 
ments  to  be  off  the  better.  The  Indians  had  been  objects 
of  great  interest,  and  for  the  three  nights  of  their  amuse 
ments  their  room  was  well  filled  and  nightly  increasing;  but 
all  arguments  were  in  vain,  and  we  must  needs  be  on  the 
move.  1  relieved  their  minds  in  a  measure  relative  to  the 
instruments  of  death  they  had  seen  and  the  executions  of 
which  they  had  heard  an  account,  by  informing  them  of  a 
fact  that  had  not  occurred  to  them — that  the  number  of 
executions  mentioned  had  been  spread  over  a  great  number 
of  years,  and  were  for  crimes  committed  amongst  some  hun 
dreds  of  thousands  of  inhabitants,  occupying  a  tract  of  coun 
try  a  great  many  miles  in  every  direction  from  York ;  and 
also  that  the  poor  men  imprisoned  for  debt  were  from 
various  parts  of  the  country  for  a  great  distance  around. 
This  seemed  to  abate  their  surprise  to  a  considerable  de 
gree  ;  still,  the  first  impression  was  here  made,  and  made  by 
means  of  their  eyes  (which  they  say  they  never  disbelieve, 
and  I  am  quite  sure  they  will  never  get  rid  of  it),  that  York 
was  the  "  wicked  town,"  as  they  continued  to  call  it  during  the 
remainder  of  their  European  travels.  I  explained  to  them 
that  other  towns  had  their  jails  and  their  gallows — that  in 
London  they  daily  rode  in  their  buss  past  prison  walls,  and 
where  the  numbers  imprisoned  wrere  greater  than  those  in 
York,  in  proportion  to  the  greater  size  of  the  city. 

Their  comments  were  many  and  curious  on  the  cruelty  of 


152     NOTIONS  OF  IMPRISONMENT  AND  TRANSPORTATION. 

imprisoning  people  for  debt,  because  they  could  not  pay 
money.  "  Why  not  kill  them  ?"  they  said ;  "  it  would  be  bet 
ter,  because  when  a  man  is  dead  he  is  no  expense  to  any  one, 
and  his  wife  can  get  a  husband  again,  and  his  little  children 
a  father  to  feed  and  take  care  of  them  ;  when  he  is  in  jail  they 
must  starve  :  when  he  is  once  in  jail  he  cannot  wish  his  face 
to  be  seen  again,  and  they  had  better  kill  them  all  at  once." 
They  thought  it  easier  to  die  than  to  live  in  jail,  and  seemed 
to  be  surprised  that  white  men,  so  many  hundreds  and  thou 
sands,  would  submit  to  it,  when  they  had  so  many  means 
by  which  they  could  kill  themselves. 

They  saw  convicts  in  the  cells  who  were  to  be  transported 
from  the  country :  they  inquired  the  meaning  of  that,  and, 
when  I  explained  it,  they  seemed  to  think  that  was  a  good 
plan,  for,  said  they,  "  if  these  people  can't  get  money  enough 
to  pay  their  debts,  if  they  go  to  another  country  they  need 
not  be  ashamed  there,  and  perhaps  they  will  soon  make 
money  enough  to  come  back  and  have  their  friends  take 
them  by  the  hand  again."  I  told  them,  however,  that  they 
had  not  understood  me  exactly — that  transportation  was 
only  for  heinous  crimes,  and  then  a  man  was  sent  away  in 
irons,  and  in  the  country  where  he  went  he  had  to  labour 
several  years,  or  for  life,  with  chains  upon  him,  as  a  slave. 
Their  ideas  were  changed  at  once  on  this  point,  and  they 
agreed  that  it  would  be  better  to  kill  them  all  at  once,  or 
give  them  weapons  and  let  them  do  it  themselves. 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on,  the  Recorder  Jim 
found  here  very  interesting  statistics  for  his  note-book, 
and  he  at  once  conceived  the  plan  of  getting  Daniel  to 
find  out  how  many  people  there  were  that  they  had 
seen  in  the  prison  locked  up  in  one  town;  and  then,  his 
ideas  expanding,  how  many  (if  it  could  be  done  at  so  late 
an  hour)  there  were  in  all  the  prisons  in  London ;  and  then 
how  many  white  people  in  all  the  kingdom  were  locked  up 
for  crimes,  and  how  many  because  they  couldn't  pay  money. 
His  friend  and  teacher,  Daniel,  whose  head  had  become  a 
tolerable  gazetteer  and  statistical  table,  told  him  it  would 


JIM'S  CRIMINAL  STATISTIC.  153 

be  quite  easy  to  find  it  all  ready  printed  in  books  and  news 
papers,  and  that  he  would  put  it  all  down  in  his  book  in  a 
little  time.  The  inquisitive  Jim  then  inquired  if  there 
were  any  poorhouses  in  York,,  as  in  other  towns ;  to  which 
his  friend  Daniel  replied  that  there  were,  and  also  in  nearly 
every  town  in  the  kingdom  ;  upon  which  Jim  started  the 
design  of  adding  to  the  statistical  entries  in  his  book  the 
number  of  people  in  poorhouses  throughout  the  kingdom. 
*Daniel  agreed  to  do  this  for  him  also.,  which  he  could 
easily  copy  out  of  a  memorandum-book  of  his  own,  and  also 
to  give  him  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  people  annually 
transported  from  the  kingdom  for  the  commission  of  crimes. 
This  all  pleased  Jim  very  much,  and  was  amusement  for 
Daniel ;  but  at  the  same  time  1  was  decidedly  regretting 
with  Mr.  Melody  that  his  good  fellows  the  Indians,  in  their 
visit  to  York,  should  have  got  their  eyes  open  to  so  much 
of  the  dark  side  of  civilization,  which  it  might  have  been 
better  for  them  that  they  never  had  seen. 

Jim's  book  was  now  becoming  daily  a  subject  of  more 
and  more  excitement  to  him,  and  consequently  of  jealousy 
amongst  some  of  the  party,  and  particularly  so  with  the  old 
Doctor ;  as  Jim  was  getting  more  rapidly  educated  than 
either  of  the  others,  and  his  book  so  far  advanced  as  to 
discourage  the  Doctor  from  any  essay  of  the  kind  himself. 
Jim  that  night  regretted  only  one  thing  which  he  had 
neglected  to  do,  and  which  it  was  now  too  late  to  accomplish 
— that  was,  to  have  measured  the  length  of  the  cathedral 
and  ascertained  the  number  of  steps  required  to  walk 
around  it.  He  had  counted  the  number  of  steps  to  the  top 
of  the  grand  tower,  and  had  intended  to  have  measured  the 
cathedral's  length.  I  had  procured  some  very  beautiful 
engravings  of  it,  however,  one  of  which  Daniel  arranged  in 
his  book,  and  the  length  of  the  building  and  its  height  we 
easily  found  for  him  in  the  pocket  Guide. 

The  Doctor,  watching  with  a  jealous  eye  these  numerous 
estimates  going  into  Jim's  book,  to  be  referred  to  (and  of 
course  sworn  to)  when  he  got  home,  and  probably  on  various 


154  THE  DOCTOR'S  WICKED  DESIGN. 

occasions  long  before,  and  having  learned  enough  of  arith 
metic  to  understand  what  a  wonderful  effect  a  cipher  has 
when  placed  on  the  right  of  a  number  of  figures,  he  smiled 
from  day  to  day  with  a  wicked  intent  on  Jim's  records, 
which,  if  they  went  back  to  his  tribe  in  anything  like  a 
credible  form,  would  be  a  direct  infringement  upon  his 
peculiar  department,  and  materially  affect  his  standing, 
inasmuch  as  Jim  laid  no  claims  to  a  knowledge  of  medicine, 
or  to  anything  more  than  good  eating  and  drinking,  before* 
he  left  home. 

However,  the  Doctor  at  this  time  could  only  meditate 
and  smile,  as  his  stiff  hand  required  some  practice  with 
the  pen  before  he  could  make  those  little  O's  so  as  to  match 
with  others  in  the  book,  which  was  often  left  carelessly  lying 
about  upon  their  table.  This  intent  was  entirely  and 
originally  wicked  on  the  part  of  the  old  Doctor,  because  he 
had  not  yet,  that  any  one  knew  of,  made  any  reference  to 
his  measure  of  the  giant  woman,  since  he  had  carefully 
rolled  up  his  cord  and  put  it  away  amongst  his  other  esti 
mates,  to  be  taken  home  to  "astonish  the  natives"  on  their 
return. 


(     155     ) 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Newcastle-on-Tyne — Indians'  alarms  about  jails — Kind  visits  from  Friends 
— Mrs.  A.  Richardson — Advice  of  the  Friends — War-Chiefs  reply — 
Liberal  presents— Arrive  at  Sunderland — Kindness  of  the  Friends — All 
breakfast  with  Mr.  T.  Richardson — Indians  plant  trees  in  his  garden — 
And  the  Author  also — The  Doctor's  superstition — Sacrifice — Feast 
— Illness  of  the  Roman  Nose — Indians  visit  a  coalpit — North  Shields — 
A  sailors'  dinner  and  a  row — Arrive  at  Edinburgh — A  drive — First 
exhibition  there — Visit  to  Salisbury  Crag — To  Arthur's  Seat — Holyrood 
House  and  Castle — The  crown  of  Robert  Bruce — The  "big  gun," — 
4 '  Queen  Mab  " — Curious  modes  of  building — "Flats" — Origin  of — • 
Illness  of  Corsair,  the  little  pappoose — The  old  Doctor  speaks — War- 
chief 's  speech — A  feast  of  ducks — Indians'  remarks  upon  the  government 
of  Scotland— "  The  swapping  of  crowns" — The  Doctor  proposes  the 
crown  of  Robert  Bruce  for  Prince  Albert — Start  for  Dundee — Indians' 
liberality — A  noble  act — Arrival  at  Dundee — Death  of  little  Corsair — 
Distress  of  the  Little  Wolf  and  his  wife — Curious  ceremony — Young 
men  piercing  their  arms — Indians  at  Perth — Arrival  in  Glasgow — Quar 
tered  in  the  Town-hall — The  cemetery — The  Hunterian  Museum — The 
Doctor's  admiration  of  it — Daily  drives — Indians  throw  money  to  the 
poor — Alarm  for  Roman  Nose — Two  reverend  gentlemen  talk  writh  the 
Indians — War-chief's  remarks — Greenock — Doctor's  regret  at  leaving. 

NEWCASTLE-ON  TYKE  was  the  next  place  where  we  stopped, 
and  when  I  arrived  there  I  found  Mr.  Melody  and  his 
friends  very  comfortably  lodged,  and  all  in  excellent  spirits. 
The  Indians,  he  told  me,  had  been  exceedingly  buoyant  in 
spirits  from  the  moment  they  left  York,  and  the  old  Doctor 
sang  the  whole  way,  even  though  he  had  been  defeated  in 
his  design  of  riding  outside  on  the  railway  train,  as  he  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  doing  on  the  omnibus  in  London.  I 
told  them  I  had  remained  a  little  behind  them  in  York 
to  enjoy  a  few  hours  more  of  the  society  of  an  excellent  and 
kind  lady  of  the  Society  of  Friends,*  whom  they  would 

*  Miss  E.  Fothergill. 


156  ARRIVAL  AT  NEWCASTLE. 

recollect  to  have  seen  in  the  exhibition  room  when  they 
had  finished  their  last  night's  exhibition,  who  came  forward 
and  shook  hands  in  the  most  affectionate  manner,  and  left 
gold  in  their  hands  as  she  bade  them  good  bye,  and  com 
mended  them  to  the  care  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

I  told  them  that  this  good  lady  had  only  returned  from 
the  country  on  the  last  evening  of  their  exhibiting  in  York, 
and  was  exceedingly  disappointed  that  she  could  not  have 
the  pleasure  of  their  society  at  her  house.  I  then  sat 
down  and  amused  them  an  hour  with  a  beautiful  manuscript 
book,  by  her  own  hand,  which  she  had  presented  to  me, 
containing  the  portraits  of  seven  Seneca  chiefs  and  braves, 
who  were  in  England  twenty-five  years  before,  and  whom 
she  entertained  for  three  weeks  in  her  own  house.  This 
interesting  work  contains  also  some  twenty  pages  of  poetry 
glowing  with  piety,  and  written  in  a  chaste  and  beautiful 
style ;  and  an  hundred  or  more  pages  in  prose,  giving  a  full 
description  of  the  party,  their  modes,  and  a  history  of  their 
success,  as  they  travelled  through  the  kingdom.  This  was 
a  subject  of  much  pleasure  to  them,  but  at  the  same  time 
increased  their  regret  that  they  had  not  seen  more  of  this 
kind  lady  before  they  left  the  town  of  York. 

Their  first  inquiries  after  their  arrival  in  Newcastle 
were  whether  they  would  meet  any  of  the  "  good  people  " 
in  that  town,  and  whether  that  was  a  place  where  they  had 
prisons  and  a  gallows  like  those  in  London  and  in  York. 
I  answered  that  they  would  no  doubt  find  many  of  the 
Friends  there,  for  I  knew  several  very  kind  families  who 
would  call  upon  them,  and  also  that  the  good  lady  who 
gave  me  the  book  in  York  had  written  letters  to  se 
veral  of  the  Friends  in  Newcastle  to  call  on  them  ;  and 
that,  as  to  the  jails^  &c.,  I  believed  they  were  much  the 
same. 

In  a  sort  of  council  which  we  held  there,  as  we  were  in  the 
Indian  habit  of  convening  one  whenever  we  were  leaving 
an  old  lodging  or  taking  possession  of  a  new  one,  it  was 
very  gravely  and  diffidently  suggested  by  the  Doctor,  as 


ANXIETY  AS  TO  SUCCESS.  157 

the  desire  of  the  whole  party,  that  they  presumed  Chip- 
pehola*  had  money  enough  left  in  London  (in  case  they 
should  fail  in  this  section  of  the  country  to  make  enough  to 
pay  their  debts)  to  keep  them  clear  from  being  taken  up 
and  treated  like  white  men  who  can't  pay  what  they  owe. 
I  approved  this  judicious  suggestion,  and  assured  them  they 
might  feel  quite  easy  as  long  as  they  were  in  the  kingdom. 
I  told  them  I  was  quite  sure  they  had  a  good  and  faithful 
friend  in  Mr.  Melody,  and,  if  anything  happened  to  him, 
they  would  be  sure  to  find  me  ready  to  take  care  of  them, 
and  that,  if  we  were  both  to  die,  they  would  find  all  the 
English  people  around  them  their  friends.  This  seemed 
to  satisfy  and  to  cheer  them  up,  and  our  few  days  in  New 
castle  thus  commenced  very  pleasantly.  From  their  first 
night's  exhibition  they  all  returned  to  their  lodgings  with 
peculiar  satisfaction  that  they  had  observed  a  greater 
number  of  Friends  in  the  crowd  than  they  had  seen  in  any 
place  before,  and  many  of  these  had  remained  until  every 
body  else  had  gone  away,  to  shake  hands  and  converse  with 
them.  They  found  roast  beef  and  beef-steaks  and  chick- 
abobboo  also,  the  same  as  in  other  places,  and  altogether 
there  was  enough  around  them  here  to  produce  cheerful 
faces. 

I  need  not  describe  again  to  the  reader  the  nature  and 
excitement  of  the  dances,  &c.,  in  their  exhibitions,  which 
were  nightly  repeated  here  as  they  had  been  in  London ; 
but  incidents  and  results  growing  out  of  these  amuse 
ments  were  now  becoming  exceedingly  interesting,  and 
as  will  be  found  in  the  sequel  of  much  importance,  I 
trust,  to  those  poor  people  and  their  descendants.  Very 
many  of  the  Society  of  Friends  were  nightly  attending  their 
exhibitions,  not  so  much  for  the  purpose  of  witnessing  or 
encouraging  their  war-dances  and  customs,  as  for  an  oppor 
tunity  of  forming  an  acquaintance  with  them,  with  a  view 
to  render  them  in  some  way  an  essential  good.  With  this 


The  Author. 


158  INTERVIEW  WITH  "  FRIENDS." 

object  a  letter  was  addressed  to  me  by  Mrs.  Anna  Richard 
son  (with  whom  I  had  formerly  corresponded  on  the  subject 
of  the  Indians),  proposing  that  a  number  of  the  Friends 
should  be  allowed  to  hold  a  conversation  with  them  in 
their  apartments,  on  some  morning,  for  the  purpose  of 
learning  the  true  state  of  their  minds  relative  to  the  subjects 
of  religion  and  education,  and  to  propose  some  efforts  that 
might  result  to  their  advantage,  and  that  of  their  nation. 
Mr.  Melody  and  myself  embraced  this  kind  proposal  at 
once,  and  the  Indians  all  seemed  delighted  with  it  when  it 
was  made  known  to  them.  The  morning  was  appointed,, 
and  this  kind  and  truly  charitable  lady  came  with  fifteen  or 
twenty  of  her  friends,  and  the  Indians  listened  with  patience 
and  apparent  pleasure  to  the  Christian  advice  that  was 
given  them  by  several,  and  cheerfully  answered  to  the 
interrogatories  which  were  put  to  them. 

The  immediate  appeal  and  thanks  to  the  "  Great  Spirit, 
who  had  sent  these  kind  people  to  them,"  by  the  War-chief 
in  his  reply,  seemed  to  impress  upon  the  minds  of  all  present 
the  conviction  of  a  high  and  noble  sentiment  of  religion  in 
the  breasts  of  these  people,  which  required  but  the  light  of 
the  Christian  revelation.  His  replies  as  to  the  benefits  of 
education  were  much  as  he  had  made  them  on  several 
occasions  before,  that,  "  as  for  themselves,  they  were  too  far 
advanced  in  life  to  think  of  being  benefited  by  it,  but 
that  their  children  might  learn  to  read  and  write,  and  that 
they  should  be  glad  to  have  them  taught  to  do  so."  Here 
seemed  to  dawn  a  gleam  of  hope,  which  that  pious  lady,  in 
her  conversation  and  subsequent  correspondence  with  me, 
often  alluded  to,  as  the  most  favourable  omen  for  the  desire 
which  the  Friends  had  of  rendering  them  some  lasting 
benefit.  Mr.  Melody  on  this  occasion  produced  a  little  book 
printed  in  the  loway  language,  in  the  missionary  school 
already  in  existence  in  the  tribe,  and  also  letters  which  he 
had  just  received  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Irvin,  then  conducting 
the  school,  giving  an  encouraging  account  of  it,  and  hoping 
that  the  Indians  and  himself  might  return  safe,  and  with 


VISIT  TO  MR.  T.  RICHARDSON.  159 

means  to  assist  in  the  noble  enterprise.  This  information 
was  gratifying  in  the  extreme,  and  all  seemed  to  think  that 
there  was  a  chance  of  enlightening  these  benighted  people. 
The  heart  of  this  Christian  woman  reached  to  the  American 
wilderness  in  a  letter  that  she  directed  to  this  reverend 
gentleman,  believing  that  there,  where  were  the  wives  and 
children  of  the  chiefs  and  warriors  who  were  travelling, 
was  the  place  for  the  eiforts  of  the  Society  of  Friends  to  be 
beneficially  applied;  and  thus,  I  believe,  formed  the  chain 
from  which  I  feel  confident  the  most  fortunate  results  will 
flow.* 

Several  subsequent  interviews  were  held  with  the  Indians 
by  these  kind  people,  who  took  them  to  their  houses  and 
schools,  and  bestowed  upon  them  many  tangible  proofs  of 
their  attachment  to  them,  and  anxiety  fur  their  welfare. 
The  Indians  left  Newcastle  and  these  suddenly  made  friends 
with  great  reluctance,  and  we  paid  a  visit  of  a  couple  of 
days  to  Sunderland.  Here  they  found  also  many  of  the 
"  good  people5'  attending  their  exhibitions,  and  received 
several  warm  and  friendly  invitations  to  their  houses. 
Amongst  these  kind  attentions  there  was  one  which  they 
never  will  forget :  they  were  invited  to  breakfast  at  the 
table  of  Mr.  T.  Richardson,  in  his  lovely  mansion,  with 
his  kind  family  and  some  friends,  and  after  the  breakfast  was 
over  all  were  invited  into  his  beautiful  garden,  where  a 
spade  was  ready,  and  a  small  tree  prepared  for  each  one  to 
plant  and  attach  his  name  to.  This  ceremony  amused  them 
very  much,  and,  when  they  had  all  done,  there  was  one  left 
for  Chippehola,  who  took  the  spade  and  completed  the  in 
teresting  ceremony.  This  had  been  kindly  designed  for 
their  amusement,  and  for  the  pleasing  recollections  of  his 
family,  by  this  good  man ;  and  with  all  it  went  off  cheer 
fully,  except  with  the  Doctor,,  who  refused  for  some  time, 
but  was  at  length  induced  to  take  the  spade  and  plant  his 


*  See  in  Appendix  (A)  to  this  volume  Correspondence,  &c.,  relative  to 
loway  Mission. 


160  VISIT  TO  A  COALPIT. 

tree.  I  observed  from  the  moment  that  he  had  done  it  that 
he  was  contemplative,  and  evidently  apprehensive  that  some 
bad  luck  was  to  come  from  it— that  there  was  medicine  in  it, 
and  he  was  alarmed.  He  was  silent  during  the  rest  of 
the  interview,  and  after  they  had  returned  to  their  rooms 
he  still  remained  so  for  some  time,  when  he  explained  to  me 
that  "  he  feared  some  one  would  be  sick — some  one  of  those 
trees  would  die,  and  he  would  much  rather  they  had  not 
been  planted."  He  said  "  it  would  be  necessary  to  make  a 
great  feast  the  next  day,"  which  I  told  him  would  be  diffi 
cult,  as  we  were  to  leave  at  an  early  hour.  This  puzzled 
him  very  much,  as  it  was  so  late  that,  "  if  they  were  to  try 
to  give  it  that  night,  there  would  not  be  time  for  the  ducks 
to  be  well  cooked."  They  all  laughed  at  him  for  his  super 
stition,  and  he  got  the  charm  off  as  well  as  he  could  by 
throwing  some  tobacco,  as  a  sacrifice,  into  the  fire. 

We  travelled  the  next  day  to  North  Shields,  and  the  gloom 
that  was  still  evidently  hanging  over  the  old  man's  brow  was 
darkened  by  the  increased  illness  of  the  Roman  Nose,  who 
had  been  for  some  weeks  slightly  ailing,  but  on  that  day  was 
attacked  for  the  first  time  with  some  fever.  The  Doctor's 
alarm  was  such  that  he  stayed  constantly  by  him,  and  did  not 
accompany  his  friend  Jim  and  one  or  two  others  with  Daniel 
to  the  coalpit.  This,  from  the  repeated  representations 
of  Daniel  and  their  old  friend  Bobasheela,  was  one  of  the 
greatest  curiosities  in  the  kingdom.,  and  they  were  not 
disappointed  in  it.  In  this  enterprise  I  did  not  accompany 
them,  but  from  their  representations  ascertained  that  they 
descended  more  than  two  thousand  feet  and  then  travelled 
half  a  mile  or  so  under  the  sea — that  there  were  fifty  horses 
and  mules  at  that  depth  under  the  ground,  that  never  will 
come  up,  drawing  cars  loaded  with  coal  on  railways,  and  six 
or  seven  hundred  men,  women,  and  children,  as  black  as  ne 
groes,  and  many  of  these  who  seldom  come  up,  but  sleep  there 
at  nights.  This  scene  shocked  them  even  more  than  the 
sights  they  had  seen  in  York,  for  they  seemed  to  think  that 
the  debtors'  cells  in  a  prison  would  be  far  preferable  to  the 


CRUELTY  IN  COAL-MINES.  161 

slavery  they  there  saw,  of  "hundreds  of  woiuen  and  chil 
dren  drawing  out,  as  they  said,  from  some  narrow  places 
where  the  horses  could  not  go,  little  carriages  loaded  with 
coal  ;  where  the  women  had  to  go  on  their  hands  and  knees 
through  the  mud  and  water,  and  almost  entirely  naked, 
drawing  their  loads  by  a  strap  that  was  buckled  around  their 
waists ;  their  knees  and  their  legs  and  their  feet,  which  were 
all  naked,  were  bleeding  with  cuts  from  the  stones,  and  their 
hands  also  ;  they  drew  these  loads  in  the  dark,  and  they 
had  only  a  little  candle  to  see  the  way."  This  surprising 
scene,  which  took  them  hours  to  describe  to  their  com 
panions,  became  more  surprising  when  Daniel  told  them  of 
ic  the  vast  number  of  such  mines  in  various  parts  of  the 
kingdom,  and  of  the  fact  that  many  people  in  some  parts 
have  been  born  in  those  mines,  and  gone  to  school  in  them, 
and  spent  their  lives,  without  ever  knowing  how  the  day 
light  looked." 

Daniel  reminded  them  of  the  hundreds  of  mines  he  had 
pointed  out  to  them  while  travelling  by  the  railroads,  and 
that  they  were  all  under  ground,  like  \vhat  they  had  seen. 
Here  was  rich  subject  for  Jim,  for  another  entry  in  his 
book,  of  the  statistics  of  England;  and  Daniel,  always 
ready,  turned  to  the  page  in  his  own  note-book,  and  soon 
got  for  Jim's  memorandum  the  sum  total  of  coalpits  and 
mines  in  the  kingdom,  and  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
human  civilized  beings  who  were  imprisoned  in  them. 

It  happened,  on  the  second  day  that  we  were  stopping  in 
North  Shields,  much  to  the  amusement  of  the  Indians,  that 
there  was  a  sailors'  dinner  prepared  for  an  hundred  or  more 
in  the  large  hall  of  the  hotel  where  we  were  lodging ;  and, 
from  the  rooms  which  the  Indians  occupied,  there  was  an 
opportunity  of  looking  through  a  small  window  down  into 
their  hall,  and  upon  the  merry  and  noisy  group  around 
the  table.  This  was  a  rich  treat  for  the  Indians ;  and,  com 
mencing  in  an  amusing  and  funny  manner,  it  became  every 
moment  more  and  more  so,  and,  finally  (when  they  began 
to  dance  and  sing  and  smash  the  glasses,  and  at  length  the 

VOL.  II.  M 


162  ARRIVAL  IN  EDINBURGH. 

tables,  and  from  that  to  «  set-to's,"  "  fisticuffs/'  and  "  knock 
downs/'  by  the  dozens,  and,  at  last,  to  a  general  melee,  a 
row,  and  a  fight  in  the  street)  one  of  the  most  decidedly 
exciting  and  spirited  scenes  they  had  witnessed  in  the 
country. 

It  afforded  them  amusement  also  for  along  time  after  the 
day  on  which  it  took  place,  when  they  spoke  of  it  as  the 
"  great  fighting  feast." 

Two  days  completed  our  visit  to  North  Shields,  and  on 
the  next  we  were  in  comfortable  quarters  in  Edinburgh. 
The  Indians  were  greatly  delighted  with  the  appearance  of 
the  city  as  they  entered  it,  and  more  so  daily,  as  they  took 
their  omnibus  drives  around  and  through  the  different 
parts  of  it. 

The  Doctor,  however,  who  was  tending  on  his  patient, 
Roman  JVose,  seemed  sad,  and  looked  as  if  he  had  forebod 
ings  still  of  some  sad  results  to  flow  from  planting  the 
trees ;  but  he  took  his  seat  upon  the  bus,  with  his  old 
joking  friend  Jim,  by  the  side  of  the  driver,  smiling  occa 
sionally  on  whatever  he  saw  amusing,  as  he  was  passing 
through  the  streets.  Their  novel  appearance  created  a 
great  excitement  in  Edinburgh  ;  and  our  announcements 
filled  our  hall  with  the  most  respectable  and  fashionable 
people. 

Their  dances  called  forth  great  applause ;  and,  in  the 
midst  of  it,  the  War-chief,  so  delighted  with  the  beauty 
of  the  city,  and  now  by  seeing  so  numerous  and  fashionable 
an  audience  before  him,  and  all  applauding,  arose  to  make 
a  speech.  As  he  straightened  up,  and,  wrapping  his 
buffalo  robe  around  him.  extended  his  long  right  arm, 
the  audience  gave  him  a  round  of  applause,  occasioned 
entirely  by  the  dignified  and  manly  appearance  he  made 
when  he  took  the  attitude  of  the  orator,  and  he  com 
menced  : — 

"  My  friends,  I  understand  by  the  great  noise  you  have  made  with  your 
hands  and  feet,  that  something  pleases  you,  and  this  pleases  us,  as  we  are 
strangers  amongst  you,  and  with  red  skins.  (Applause.) 


SCENERY  AND  SIGHTS  OF.  163 

"  My  friends,  we  have  but  just  arrived  in  your  beautiful  city,  and  we 
see  that  you  are  a  different  people  from  the  English  in  London,  where  we 
have  been.  In  going  into  a  strange  place,  amongst  strange  people,  we 
always  feel  some  fear  that  our  dances  and  our  noise  may  not  please — we 
are  showing  you  how  we  dance  in  our  own  country,  and  we  believe  that  is 
what  you  wish  to  see.  (Applause  and  '  How,  lioiu,  how!') 

"  My  friends,  we  are  delighted  with  your  city,  what  we  have  seen  of  it — 
we  have  seen  nothing  so  handsome  before — we  will  try  to  please  you  with 
some  more  of  our  dances,  and  then  we  will  be  happy  to  shake  hands  with 
you.  ('  How,  how,  how  /') 

"  This  is  all  I  have  to  say  now."     (Great  applause.) 

We  were  now  in  the  most  beautiful  city  in  the  kingdom, 
if  not  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world  ;  and  the 
Indians,  as  well  as  ourselves,  observed  the  difference  in  the 
manners  and  appearance  of  the  people.  The  Indians  had 
been  pleased  with  their  reception  in  the  evening,  and, 
in  their  drive  during  the  day,  had  been  excited  by  the 
inviting  scenery  overtowering  the  city, — the  castle,  with  its 
"  big  gun,"  gaping  over  the  town — the  Salisbury  Crag,  and 
Arthur's  Seat — all  of  which  places  they  were  to  visit  on  that 
day ;  and,  having  swallowed  their  breakfasts  and  taken 
their  seats  in  their  carriage,  seemed  to  have  entered  upon  a 
new  world  of  amusement.  Their  views  from,  and  runs  over, 
these  towering  peaks  afforded  them  great  amusement;  and 
the  castle,  with  its  crown  of  Robert  Bruce,  and  other  in 
signia  of  royalty — its  mammouth  gun,  and  the  little  room  in 
which  King  James  I.  of  England  was  born ;  and  in  Holy- 
rood  House, — the  blood  of  Rizzio  upon  the  floor,  and  the 
bed  in  which  Queen  Mary  had  slept — were  all  subjects  of 
new  and  fresh  excitement  to  them. 

Nor  was  their  amusement  less  whilst  they  were  riding 
through  the  streets,  at  the  constant  variety  and  sudden  con 
trasts — from  the  low  and  poverty-stricken  rabble  of  High- 
street  and  its  vicinity,  to  the  modern  and  splendid  sections 
of  the  city- — of  crossing  high  bridges  over  gardens,  instead 
of  rivers  ;  of  houses  built  upon  the  sides  of  the  hills  and  on 
rocks  ;  and  many  other  amusing  things  that  they  talked 
about  when  they  got  back. 

M  2 


164  CURIOUS  DIRECTION. 

To  Mr.  Melody  and  Jeffrey  also,  and  to  Daniel,  all  these 
scenes  were  new ;  and  the  Indians,  therefore,  had  com 
panions  and  guides  enough,  and  enough,  also,  to  explain  to 
them  the  meaning  of  all  they  saw. 

I  had  been  in  Edinburgh  on  a  former  occasion,  and  was 
now  engaged  in  looking  up  and  conversing  with  old  friends, 
whose  former  kindness  now  claimed  my  first  attention  ;  and 
in  hunting  for  one  of  them,  I  found  his  office  had  been 
removed  to  another  part  of  the  city ;  and,  making  my  way 
towards  it  as  well  as  I  could,  I  was  amused  at  the  instructions  " 
given  to  me  when  I  inquired  of  a  man  whom  I  met  in  the 
street,  and  who,  it  happened,  was  acquainted  with  my  friend 
and  his  location,  and  who  relieved  me  instantly  from  further 
embarrassment  by  the  following  most  lucid  and  simple  direc 
tion,  as  he  pointed  down  the  street: — "You  have  only  to 
take  the  first  turning  to  the  right,  Sir,  and  it  is  the  top  flat  at 
the  bottom."  This  seemed  queer  and  amusing  to  me,  though 
not  in  the  least  embarrassing,  for  I  had  been  long  enough 
in  Edinburgh  before  to  learn  that  a  "  flat "  was  a  "  story  " 
or  floor ;  and  long  enough  in  London  to  know  that  one  end  of 
a  street  is  the  "  top"  and  the  other  the  "bottom." 

To  a  stranger,  however,  such  an  answer  as  the  one  I 
received  might  have  been  exceedingly  bewildering,  and  in 
creased  his  difficulties  rather  than  diminished  them. 

The  old  law  maxim  of  "  Cujus  est  solum,  cjus  cst  usque  ad 
ccelum"  would  scarcely  apply  to  real  estate  in  the  city  of  Edin 
burgh  ;  for  houses  are  not  only  rented  by  floors  or  flats,  but 
titles,  in  fee  simple  and  by  deed,  are  given  for  floor  above 
floor,  oftentimes  in  the  same  house  ;  a  custom  that  is  difficult 
to  account  for,  unless  from  the  curious  fact  that  so  many  of 
the  houses  in  Edinburgh  are  built  so  high,  by  the  sides  of 
hills  and  precipitous  ledges,  that  an  adjoining  tenant  may 
oftentimes  step  from  the  surface  of  his  cultivated  fields 
into  the  tenth  or  twelfth  story  of  his  neighbour's  back 
windows,  and,  by  this  singular  mode  of  conveyance,  able 
to  walk  into  a  comfortable  dwelling  without  the  expen.se 
of  building,  and  without  curtailing  the  area  of  his  arable 


FASHIONABLE  AUDIENCE.  165 

ground.  By  thus  getting,  for  a  trifle,  the  fee  simple  for 
the  upper  story,  and  of  course  the  privilege  of  building  as 
many  stories  on  the  top  of  it  as  he  should  require,  when  he 
could  afford  the  means  to  do  it,  his  neighbour  below  was 
called  a  "  flat."  The  law,  which  is  generally  cruel  to  most 
flats,  relinquished  one  of  its  oldest  and  most  sacred  maxims, 
to  support  the  numerous  claims  of  this  kind  which  the  side- 
hills  and  ledges  in  the  building-grounds  of  the  city  had  pro 
duced  ;  and  so  numerous  were  the  flats,  and  so  frequent  the 
instances  of  this  new  sort  of  tenure,  that  the  term  "  flat " 
has  become  carelessly  and  erroneously  applied  to  all  the 
floors  or  stories  of  buildings  in  Edinburgh  that  are  to  be 
let  or  sold  separately  from  the  rest  of  the  house. 

It  was  arranged  that  our  stay  in  Edinburgh  was  to  be 
but  for  a  few  days  ;  and,  with  this  view,  we  had  begun  to 
see  its  sights  pretty  rapidly  during  the  two  first  since  our 
arrival.  Many  fashionable  parties  were  calling  on  the 
Indians  in  their  apartments,  and  leaving  them  presents ; 
and  at  their  second  night's  exhibition  the  room  was  crowded 
to  great  excess  with  the  fashion  and  nobility  of  the  city. 
The  Indians  discovered  at  once  that  they  never  before  were 
in  the  midst  of  audiences  so  intellectual  and  genteel.  There 
was  nothing  of  low  and  vulgar  appearance  in  any  part  of  the 
room  ;  but  all  had  the  stamp  of  refinement  and  gentility, 
which  stimulated  their  pride,  and  they  did  their  utmost. 

In  the  midst  of  their  amusements  on  that  evening  there 
was  a  general  call  upon  me  from  the  ladies,  to  explain  why  the 
little  "  pappoose  in  its  cradle"  was  not  shown,  as  announced 
in  the  bills ;  to  which  I  was  sorry  to  reply  that  it  was  so  ill 
that  it  could  not  be  seen.  This  having  been  interpreted  to 
the  Indians  by  Jeffrey,  and  also  heard  by  the  Little  Wolf's 
wife,  the  mother  of  the  child,  and  then  nursing  it  in  the 
room  behind  their  platform,  she  suddenly  arranged  it,  sick 
as  it  was,  in  its  beautifully  ornamented  little  cradle,  and, 
having  slung  it  upon  her  back,  and  thrown  her  pictured  robe 
around  her,  walked  into  the  room,  to  the  surprise  of  the 
Indians,  and  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  gentlemen  as 


166  THE  DOCTORS  ALARMS. 

well  as  the  ladies  of  the  whole  house.  Her  appearance  was 
such,  when  she  walked  across  the  platform,,  that  it  called 
forth  applause  from  every  quarter.  Many  were  the  ladies 
who  advanced  from  their  seats  to  the  platform,  to  examine  so 
interesting  a  subject  more  closely  ;  and  many  presents  were 
bestowed  upon  the  mother,  who  was  obliged  to  retire  again 
with  it,  from  the  feeble  state  it  was  then  in.  This  fine  little 
child,  of  ten  or  twelve  months  old,  and  the  manner  in  which 
it  was  carried  in  its  Indian  cradle  upon  its  mother's  back, 
had  formed  one  of  the  most  interesting  parts  of  the  exhibi 
tion  the  whole  time  that  the  Indians  were  in  London,  and 
since  they  had  left.  Its  illness  now  becoming  somewhat 
alarming,  with  the  increasing  illness  also  of  the  Roman 
Nose,  was  adding  to  the  old  Doctor's  alarms,  growing  out  of 
the  planting  of  the  little  trees,  which  he  had  insisted  was 
ominous  of  something  that  would  happen,  but  what,  he  did 
not  attempt  to  predict. 

He  was  daily  prescribing  and  attending  his  patients,  but, 
being  without  the  roots  which  he  uses  in  his  own  country, 
he  was  evidently  much  at  a  loss ;  and  the  ablest  advice  was 
procured  for  both  of  the  patients  while  in  that  city. 

The  Doctor,  on  this  occasion,  (though  somewhat  de 
pressed  in  spirits,  owing  to  his  superstitious  forebodings 
about  the  sick,  seeing  such  a  vast  concourse  of  ladies  pre 
sent,  and  all  encouraging  him  with  their  applause  as  he 
made  his  boasts  in  the  eagle  dance,)  made  an  effort  for  a 
sensation,  as  he  did  on  his  first  night  in  London.  When  the 
dance  was  done,  he  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  platform, 
and,  with  his  usual  quizzical  look  and  smile  from  under  his 
headdress  of  buffalo  horns  and  eagle  quills,  addressed  the 
audience.  His  speech  was  translated  by  Jeffrey,  and,  though 
it  was  highly  applauded,  fell  much  short  of  the  effect  amongst 
the  ladies  which  he  had  produced  on  former  occasions.  He  sat 
down  somewhat  in  a  disappointed  mood,  when  his  cruel 
companion,  Jim,  told  him  that  his  attempt  "  was  an  entire 
failure,  and  that  he  would  never  take  with  the  ladies  in  Edin 
burgh."  The  old  man  replied  to  him  that  he  had  better 


THE  WAR-CHIEF'S  SPEECH.  167 

try  himself,  and,  if  he  would  lie  flat  on  his  back  and  make  a 
speech,  perhaps  he  might  please  the  ladies  of  Edinburgh. 
After  another  dance,  and  amidst  the  roar  of  applause,  old 
Neu-mon-ya  (the  War- chief)  arose,  and,  in  the  best  of  his 
humour,  said, — 

"  My  friends,  I  thank  the  Great  Spirit  who  conducted  us  safe  across  the 
Great  Salt  Lake  that  His  eye  is  still  upon  us,  and  that  He  has  led  us  to 
your  city.  No  city  that  we  have  seen  is  so  beautiful  as  yours;  and  we 
have  seen  a  great  deal  of  it  as  we  have  been  riding  in  our  carriage  to-day. 
('  How,  how,  how  !') 

"  My  friends,  the  Great  Spirit  has  made  us  with  red  skins,  and,  as  all  our 
modes  of  life  are  different  from  yours,  our  dances  are  quite  different, 
and  we  are  glad  that  they  do  not  give  any  offence  when  we  dance  them. 
Our  dresses,  which  are  made  of  skins,  are  not  so  fine  and  beautiful  as  yours, 
but  they  keep  us  warm,  and  that  we  think  is  the  great  thing.  ('  How,  how, 
how!'  Applause  and  '  Hear,  hear.') 

"  My  friends,  we  have  been  to-day  to  see  your  great  fort.  We  were 
much  pleased  with  it,  and  the  '  big  gun  ;'  we  think  it  a  great  pity  it  is 
broken.  We  saw  the  room  where  the  king  of  England  was  born,  and  we 
feel  proud  that  we  have  been  in  it.  ('  How,  how,  how!'  Much  laughter.) 

u  My  friends,  we  saw  there  the  crowns  of  your  kings  and  queens  as  we 
were  told.  This  we  don't  think  we  quite  understand  yet,  but  we  think  Chip- 
pehola  will  tell  us  all  that, — it  may  be  all  right.  (Laughter  and  '  Hear.') 

"  My  friends,  we  went  to  another  great  house  where  we  saw  many  things 
that  pleased  us — we  saw  the  bed  in  which  your  Queen  slept :  this  was  very 
pleasing  to  us  all ;  it  was  much  nearer  than  we  got  to  the  Queen  of  England. 
(Great  laughter.) 

"  My  friends,  this  is  all  I  have  to  say."     ('  Bravo!') 

After  this  night's  exhibition,  and  the  sights  of  the  day 
which  had  pleased  them  so  much,  there  was  subject  enough 
for  a  number  of  pipes  of  conversation ;  and  to  join  them  in 
this  Mr.  Melody  and  I  had  repaired  to  their  room,  where 
we  found  them  in  the  midst  of  a  grand  feast  of  ducks,  which 
they  said  it  was  always  necessary  to  give  when  they  entered 
a  new  country,  and  which  in  this  case  they  had  expended 
some  of  their  own  money  in  buying.  Daniel  and  Jeffrey 
were  seated  with  them,  and  we  were  obliged  to  sit  down  upon 
the  floor,  and  take  each  a  duck's  leg  at  least,  and  a  glass  of 
the  Queen  s  chickabobboo  (champagne),  which  had  been  added 
at  the  expense  of  Daniel  and  Jeffrey,  as  the  ordinary  chicka- 


168  A  COUNCIL  AND  THE  CROWNS. 

bobboo  did  not  answer  the  object  of  a  feast  of  that  descrip 
tion.  After  the  feast  was  over,  and  the  War-chief  had  re 
turned  thanks  to  the  Great  Spirit,  according  to  their  in 
variable  custom,  the  pipe  was  lit,  and  then  the  gossip  for 
the  evening  commenced.  They  had  already  learned  from 
Daniel  that  there  were  jails  and  poorhouses  here  as  in 
other  places,  and  were  now  remarking  that  they  had  not 
yet  seen  any  of  the  "  good  people  "  here,  and  began  to  fear 
they  had  lost  all  chance  of  meeting  any  of  them  again. 
They  seemed  to  be  much  at  a  loss  to  know  how  it  was  that 
here  were  the  crowns  and  swords  of  kings  and  queens,  and 
the  houses  they  had  lived  in,  and  the  beds  they  had  slept  on, 
and  that  there  are  none  of  them  left.  They  believed, 
though  they  were  not  yet  quite  certain  of  it,  that  this  country 
must  have  been  conquered  by  England.  These  inquiries 
were  all  answered  as  nearly  as  I  could  explain  them  ;  and 
the  result  was,  that  "  it  was  a  great  pity,  in  their  estimations, 
that  so  fine  a  country  and  people  should  not  continue  to 
have  a  king  of  their  own  to  put  on  the  crown  again,  instead 
of  leaving  it  in  the  castle  to  be  shut  up  in  a  dark  room." 
They  seemed  to  think  it  "  very  curious  that  the  Scotch 
people  should  like  to  keep  the  crown  for  people  to  look  at, 
when  they  could  not  keep  the  king  to  wear  it;"  and  they 
thought  "it  would  be  far  better  to  take  out  the  beautiful 
red  and  green  stones  and  make  watch-seals  of  them,  and 
melt  the  gold  into  sovereigns,  so  that  some  of  it  might  get 
into  poor  people's  pockets,  than  to  keep  it  where  it  is,  just 
to  be  looked  at  and  to  be  talked  of." 

They  thought  "  the  crown  was  much  more  beautiful  than 
the  one  they  saw  in  London  belonging  to  the  Queen,  and 
which  was  kept  in  the  great  prison  where  they  saw  so  many 
guns,  spears,  &c."*  The  joker,  Jim,  thought  that  "  if  he 
were  the  Queen  he  should  propose  to  swap,  for  he  thought 
this  decidedly  the  handsomest  crown."  The  old  Doctor  said, 
that  "  if  he  were  the  Queen  of  England  he  should  be  very 

*  The  Tower. 


STEAM-BOAT  INCIDENT.  169 

well  suited  to  wear  the  one  they  had  seen  in  London,  and 
he  would  send  and  get  this  one  very  quickly,  and  also  the 
beautiful  sword  they  saw,  for  Prince  Albert  to  wear."  In 
this  happy  and  conjectural  mood  we  left  them,  receiving1 
from  Daniel  further  accounts  of  the  events  and  history  of 
the  country  which  they  had  seen  so  many  evidences  of  during 
their  visits  in  the  early  part  of  the  day. 

Our  stay  in  this  beautiful  city  was  but  four  days,  contem 
plating  another  visit  to  it  in  a  short  time ;  and  at  the  close 
of  that  time  the  party  took  a  steamer  for  Dundee,  with  a 
view  to  make  a  visit  of  a  few  days  to  that  town,  and  after 
wards  spend  a  day  or  two  in  Perth.  I  took  the  land  route 
to  Dundee,  and,  arriving  there  before  the  party,  had  an 
nounced  their  arrival  and  exhibition  to  take  place  on  the 
same  evening.  An  accident  however  that  happened  on  the 
steamer  compelled  it  to  put  back  to  Edinburgh,  and  their 
arrival  was  delayed  for  a  couple  of  days. 

During  this  voyage  there  was  an  occurrence  on  board  of 
the  steamer,  which  was  related  to  me  by  Mr.  Melody  and 
Daniel,  which  deserves  mention  in  this  place.  It  seems  that 
on  board  of  the  steamer,  as  a  passenger,  was  a  little  girl  of 
twelve  years  of  age  and  a  stranger  to.  all  on  board.  When, 
on  their  way,  the  captain  was  collecting  his  passage-money 
on  deck,  he  came  to  the  little  girl  for  her  fare,  who  told  him 
she  had  no  money,  but  that  she  expected  to  meet  her 
father  in  Dundee,  whom  she  was  going  to  see,  and  that  he 
would  certainly  pay  her  fare  if  she  could  rind  him.  The 
captain  was  in  a  great  rage,  and  abused  the  child  for  coming 
on  without  the  money  to  pay  her  fare,  and  said  that  he 
should  not  let  her  go  ashore,  but  should  hold  her  a  prisoner 
on  board,  and  take  her  back  to  Edinburgh  with  him.  The 
poor  little  girl  was  frightened,  and  cried  herself  almost  into 
fits.  The  passengers,  of  whom  there  were  a  great  many,  all 
seemed  affected  by  her  situation,  and  began  to  raise  the 
money  amongst  them  to  pay  her  passage,  giving  a  penny  or 
two  apiece,  which,  when  done,  amounted  to  about  a  quarter 
of  the  sum  required.  The  poor  little  girl's  grief  and  fear 


170  INDIANS'  GENEROSITY. 

still  continued,  and  the  old  Doctor,  standing  on  deck, 
wrapped  in  his  robe,  and  watching  all  these  results,  too 
much  touched  with  pity  for  her  situation,  went  down  in  the 
fore-cabin  where  the  rest  of  the  party  were,  and,  relating 
the  circumstances,  soon  raised  eight  shillings,  one  shilling 
of  which,  the  Little  Wolf,  after  giving  a  shilling  himself,  put 
into  the  hand  of  his  little  infant,  then  supposed  to  be  dying, 
that  its  dying  hand  might  do  one  act  of  charity,  and  caused 
it  to  drop  it  into  the  Doctor's  hand  with  the  rest.  With  the 
money  the  Doctor  came  on  deck,  and,  advancing,  offered 
it  to  the  little  girl,  who  was  frightened  and  ran  away. 
Daniel  went  to  the  girl  and  called  her  up  to  the  Doctor, 
assuring  her  there  was  no  need  of  alarm,  when  the  old 
Doctor  put  the  money  into  her  hand,  and  said  to  her,  through 
the  interpreter,  and  in  presence  of  all  the  passengers,  who 
were  gathering  around,  "Now  go  to  the  cruel  captain 
and  pay  him  the  money,  and  never  again  be  afraid  of  a  man 
because  his  skin  is  red;  but  be  always  sure  that  the  heart 
of  a  red  man  is  as  good  and  as  kind  as  that  of  a  white  man. 
And  when  you  are  in  Dundee,  where  we  are  all  going,  if 
you  do  not  find  your  father  as  you  wish,  and  are  amongst 
strangers,  come  to  us,  wherever  we  shall  be,  and  you  shall 
not  suffer ;  you  shall  have  enough  to  eat,  and,  if  money  is 
necessary,  you  shall  have  more." 

Such  acts  of  kindness  as  this,  and  others  that  have  and 
will  be  named,  that  I  was  a  witness  to  while  those  people 
were  under  my  charge,  require  no  further  comment  than  to 
be  made  known :  they  carry  their  own  proof  with  them  that 
the  Doctor  \vas  right  in  saying  that  "  the  hearts  of  red  men 
are  as  good  as  those  of  the  whites." 

As  I  was  in  anxious  expectation  of  their  arrival,  I  met 
the  party  with  carriages  when  they  landed,  and  I  was  pained 
to  learn  that  the  babe  of  the  Little  Wolf,  which  he  had 
wrapped  and  embraced  in  his  arms,  was  dying,  and  it 
breathed  its  last  at  the  moment  they  entered  the  apart 
ments  that  were  prepared  for  them.  My  heart  wras  broken 
to  see  the  agony  that  this  noble  fellow  was  in,  embracing 


DEATH  OF  THE  LITTLE  CORSAIK.  171 

his  little  boy,  and  laying  him  down  in  the  last  gasp  of  death, 
in  a  foreign  land,  and  amongst  strangers.  We  all  wept  for 
the  heartbroken  parents,  and  also  for  the  dear  little 
"  Corsair,"  as  he  was  called  (from  the  name  of  the  steamer 
on  which  he  was  born,  on  the  Ohio  river  in  the  United 
States).  We  had  all  become  attached  to  the  little  fellow, 
and  his  death  caused  a  gloom  amongst  the  whole  party. 
The  old  Doctor  looked  more  sad  than  ever,  and  evidently 
beheld  the  symptoms  of  Roman  Nose  as  more  alarming  than 
they  had  been. 

A  council  was  called,  as  the  first  step  after  their  arrival, 
and  a  pipe  was  passed  around  in  solemn  silence  ;  after  which 
it  was  asked  by  the  War- chief  if  I  knew  of  any  of  the  "  good 
people"  in  that  town;  to  which  I  answered  that  "1  was  a 
stranger  there,  and  did  not  know  of  any  one."  It  seemed 
it  was  an  occasion  on  which  they  felt  that  it  would  be  an 
unusual  pleasure  to  meet  some  of  them,  as  the  Little  Wolf 
and  his  wife  had  expressed  a  wish  to  find  some.  It  occurred 
then  to  Mr.  Melody  that  he  had  a  letter  to  a  lady  in  that 
town,  and,  on  delivering  it,  found  she  was  one  of  that 
society,  and,  with  another  kind  friend,  she  called  and 
administered  comfort  to  these  wretched  parents  in  the 
midst  of  their  distress.  They  brought  the  necessary  clothes 
for  the  child's  remains,  and,  when  we  had  the  coffin  prepared, 
laid  it  out  with  the  kindest  hands,  and  prepared  it  for  the 
grave  ;  and  their  other  continued  and  kind  offices  tended  to 
soothe  the  anguished  breasts  of  the  parents  while  we  re 
mained  there. 

It  is  a  subject  of  regret  to  me  that  I  have  lost  the  names 
of  those  two  excellent  ladies,  to  whom  my  public  acknow 
ledgments  are  so  justly  due.  After  they  had  laid  the 
remains  of  the  child  in  the  coffin,  each  of  the  young  men  of 
the  party  ran  a  knife  through  the  fleshy  part  of  their  left 
arms,  and,  drawing  a  wrhite  feather  through  the  wounds, 
deposited  the  feathers  with  the  blood  on  them  in  the  coffin 
with  the  body.  This  done,  the  father  and  mother  brought 
all  they  possessed,  excepting  the  clothes  which  they  had  on, 


172  FUNERAL  OF  THE  LITTLE  CORSAIR. 

and  presented  to  them,  according  to  the  custom  of  their 
country,  and  also  all  the  fine  presents  they  had  received, 
their  money,  trinkets,,  weapons,  &c.  This  is  one  of  the 
curious  modes  of  that  tribe,  and  is  considered  necessary  to 
be  conformed  to  in  all  cases  where  a  child  dies.  The  parents 
are  bound  to  give  away  all  they  possess  in  the  world.  I 
believe,  however,  that  it  is  understood  that,  after  a  certain 
time,  these  goods  are  returned,  and  oftentimes  with  increased 
treasures  attending  them. 

There  now  came  another  pang  for  the  heart  of  this  noble 
fellow,  the  Little  Wolf,  and  one  which  seemed  to  shake  his 
manly  frame  more  than  that  he  had  already  felt.  His  child 
he  could  not  take  with  him,  and  the  thought  of  leaving  it  in  a 
strange  burying-ground,  and  "  to  be  dug  up,"  as  he  said  he 
knew  it  would  be,  seemed  to  make  his  misery  and  that  of 
his  wife  complete.  However,  in  the  midst  of  his  griefs,  he 
suggested  that,  if  it  were  possible  to  have  it  conveyed  to 
their  kind  friends  in  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  he  was  sure  those 
"  good  people,"  who  treated  them  so  kindly,  would  be  glad 
to  bury  it  in  their  beautiful  burying-ground  which  he  had 
seen,  where  it  would  be  at  home,  and  he  and  his  wife  should 
then  feel  happy.  Mr.  Melody  at  once  proposed  to  take  it 
there  himself,  and  attend  to  its  burial,  which  pleased  the 
parents  very  much,  and  he  started  the  next  day  with  it. 
He  was  received  with  the  greatest  kindness  by  Mrs.  A. 
Richardson  and  their  other  kind  friends,  who  attended  to 
its  burial  in  the  society's  beautiful  cemetery.* 

Our  visit  to  the  delightful  little  town  of  Perth  was  made, 
where  we  remained,  and  the  Indians  astonished  and  pleased 
with  their  wild  and  unheard-of  modes,  for  two  days.  We 
then  were  within  fifteen  miles  of  Merthyl  Castle,  the  seat 
of  Sir  William  Drummond  Stewart,  the  well-known  and 


*  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  fervent  breathing  pages  of  a  little  period 
ical,  entitled  the  *  Olive  Branch,'  for  a  most  feeling  and  impressive  account 
of  the  reception  of  this  little  child's  remains,  and  its  burial  in  their  beauti 
ful  cemetery,  by  the  Friends  in  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 


GLASGOW:  THE  HUNTERIAN  MUSEUM.  173 

bold  traveller  of  the  prairies  and  Rocky  Mountains  of 
America,  whose  friendly  invitation  we  received  to  visit  his 
noble  mansion,  but  wrhich  I  shall  long  regret  came  so  late 
that  other  engagements  we  had  entered  into  in  Edinburgh 
and  Glasgow  prevented  us  from  complying  with  it. 

Our  way  was  now  back,  and,  having  repeated  their  exhi 
bitions  a  few  nights  longer  in  Edinburgh,  and,  as  before,  to 
crowded  and  fashionable  houses,  we  commenced  upon  our 
visit  to  the  noble  city  of  Glasgow7.  On  our  arrival,  the 
party  were  taken  in  an  omnibus  from  the  station  to  the 
town-hall,  in  which  it  wras  arranged  their  exhibitions  were 
to  be  given,  and  in  a  private  room  of  which  the  Indians 
were  to  lodge. 

They  were  pleased  with  the  part  of  the  city  they  saw  as 
they  entered  it,  and  were  in  good  spirits  and  cheer,  and 
prepared  for  the  few  days  they  were  to  stop  there.  The 
same  arrangement  was  at.  once  made  by  Mr.  Melody,  as  in 
other  places,  to  give  them  their  daily  ride  in  an  omnibus 
for  their  health,  and  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  a  view 
of  everything  to  be  seen  about  the  town.  In  their  drives 
about  the  city  of  Glasgow  there  was  not  so  much  of  the 
picturesque  and  change  to  amuse  them  as  they  saw  in 
Edinburgh,  yet  everything  was  new  and  pleasing. 

The  beautiful  cemetery  attracted  their  highest  admira 
tion  of  anything  they  saw,  with  all  the  party  but  the  Doctor, 
whose  whole  and  undivided  admiration  was  withheld  from 
everything  else  to  be  centred  in  the  noble  Hunterian  Mu 
seum  :  the  vapour-baths,  conservatories,  &c.,  which  had 
before  arrested  his  attention,  were  all  sunk  and  lost  sight  of 
in  this.  After  each  and  every  of  his  visits  to  it  he  returned 
dejected  and  cast  down  with  the  conviction  of  his  own  igno 
rance  and  white  man's  superior  skill.  He  washed  very 
much  to  see  the  great  man  who  made  all  those  wonderful 
preparations  of  diseases,  and  the  astonishing  models  in  wax, 
as  he  would  be  so  proud  to  offer  him  his  hand;  but,  being 
informed  that  he  had  been  dead  for  many  years,  he  seemed 


174  PRESENTS— GREAT  NUMBER  OF  POOR. 

sad  that  there  was  no  way  of  paying  him  the  tribute  of  his 
praise. 

Their  exhibitions,  which  were  given  nightly,  as  they  had 
been  given  in  the  Egyptian  Hall,  were  nightly  explained  by 
me  in  the  same  way,  and  fully  and  fashionably  attended. 
The  same  kind  of  excitement  was  repeated — speeches  were 
made,  and  rounds  of  applause — young  ladies  falling  in  love 
— Indians'  talks  at  night,  and  their  suppers  of  beef-steaks 
and  chickalolboo. 

Another  present  of  Bibles,  equal  in  number  to  the  num 
ber  of  Indians,  was  handed  on  to  the  platform  from  an 
unknown  hand,  and  each  one  had  the  Indian  name  of  its 
owner  handsomely  written  in  its  front. 

Scarcely  a  day  or  an  evening  passed  but  they  received 
more  or  less  Bibles  from  the  hands  of  the  kind  and  Christian 
people  who  were  witnessing  their  amusements  or  inviting 
them  to  their  houses ;  and  from  the  continued  access  to  their 
stock  during  their  whole  career,  together  with  toys,  with 
cloths  and  knives,  and  other  presents,  their  baggage  was 
becoming  actually  of  a  troublesome  size. 

In  taking  their  daily  drives  about  town  they  had  several 
times  passed  through  some  of  the  most  populous  and  at  the 
same  time  impoverished  parts  of  the  city  ;  and  the  great 
numbers  of  poor  and  squalid-looking  and  barefooted  crea 
tures  they  saw  walking  in  the  snow  had  excited  their 
deepest  pity,  and  they  had  got  in  the  daily  habit  of  throw 
ing  pennies  to  them  as  they  passed  along.  The  numbers 
of  the  ragged  poor  that  they  saw  there  they  represented 
as  surpassing  all  they  had  seen  in  their  whole  travels. 
They  inquired  whether  there  were  any  poor-houses  there, 
and,  being  informed  that  there  were  a  number,  and  all 
full,  they  seemed  to  be  yet  even  more  surprised.  They 
were  in  the  habit  daily,  until  Mr.  Melody  and  myself  de 
cided  it  was  best  to  check  it,  of  each  getting  some  shillings 
changed  into  pennies  before  they  started  on  their  ride,  to 
scatter  among  the  poor  that  they  passed.  Their  gene- 


ALARM  FOR  THE  ROMAN  NOSE.  175 

rosity  became  a  subject  so  well  known  in  a  few  days,  that 
their  carriage  was  followed  to  their  door,  where  gangs  of 
beggars  were  stationed  great  part  of  the  day  to  get  their 
pennies  "  when  the  savages  went  out."  Some  pounds  of  their 
money  they  thus  threw  out  into  the  streets  of  this  great 
and  splendid  city,  in  spite  of  all  we  could  do  to  prevent 
them. 

Our  apprehensions  were  now  becoming  very  great,  and  of 
course  very  painful,  for  the  fate  of  the  poor  Roman  Nose  :  he 
seemed  daily  to  be  losing  flesh  and  strength,  and  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  physicians,  who  was  attending  on  him, 
pronounced  his  disease  to  be  pulmonary  consumption.  This 
was  the  first  decided  alarm  we  had  about  him,  and  still  it  was 
difficult  to  believe  that  so  fine  and  healthy  a  looking  man  as 
he  appeared  but  a  few  months  before  should  be  thus  rapidly 
sinking  down  with  such  a  disease.  He  was  able  to  be  walk 
ing  and  riding  about,  but  was  weak,  and  took  no  part  in  the 
exhibitions. 

About  this  time,  as  I  was  entering  the  Indians'  room  one 
morning,  I  met  two  gentlemen  coming  down  the  stairs,  who 
recognised  me,  and  said  they  had  proposed  to  the  interpreter 
and  the  Indians  to  have  had  a  little  time  with  them  to  talk 
upon  the  subjects  of  religion  and  education,  and  to  know 
whether  missionaries  could  not  be  sent  into  their  country  to 
teach  and  christianise  them  ;  and  they  were  afraid  they 
might  not  have  been  understood,  for  they  were  answered 
that  the  Indians  did  not  wish  to  see  them.  At  that  mo 
ment  Jeffrey  was  coming  up  the  stairs,  and,  as  it  could  not 
have  been  him  whom  they  saw,  I  presumed  it  might  have 
been  Daniel  who  refused  them  admittance,  as  he  might 
have  been  unable  to  understand  the  Indians.  Jeffrey  told 
them  that  they  had  got  almost  tired  of  talking  with  so  many 
in  London,  but  still  they  could  go  up,  and  the  Indians,  he 
thought,  would  be  glad  to  see  them.  Mr.  Melody  happened 
at  the  moment  to  be  passing  also,  and  he  invited  them  up. 
They  were  introduced  to  the  Indians  and  their  object  ex 
plained  by  Jeffrey.  The  War-chief  then  said  to  them,  as  he 


TALK  ABOUT  RELIGION. 

was  sitting  on  the  floor  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  that  he 
didn't  see  any  necessity  of  their  talking  at  all,  for  all  they 
would  have  to  say  they  had  beard  from  much  more  intelli 
gent-looking  men  than  they  were,  in  London,  and  in  other 
places,  and  they  had  given  their  answers  at  full  length, 
which  Chippehola  had  written  all  down. 

"  Now,  my  friends,"  said  he,  "  I  will  tell  you  that  when  we  first  came 
over  to  this  country  we  thought  that  where  you  had  so  many  preachers,  so 
many  to  read  and  explain  the  good  book,  we  should  find  the  white  people 
all  good  and  sober  people  ;  but  as  we  travel  about  we  find  this  was  all  a 
mistake.  When  we  first  came  over  we  thought  that  white  man's  religion 
would  make  all  people  good,  and  we  then  would  have  been  glad  to  talk 
with  you,  but  now  we  cannot  say  that  we  like  to  do  it  any  more."  ('  Howt 
how,  how!'  responded  all,  as  Jim,  who  was  then  lying  on  a  large  table,  and 
resting  on  one  elbow,  was  gradually  turning  over  on  to  his  back,  arid  drawing 
up  his  knees  in  the  attitude  of  speaking.) 

The  War -chief  continued  : — 

"  My  friends — I  am  willing  to  talk  with  you  if  it  can  do  any  good  to  the 
Hundreds  and  thousands  of  poor  and  hungry  people  that  we  see  in  your 
streets  every  day  when  we  ride  out.  We  see  hundreds  of  little  children 
with  their  naked  feet  in  the  snow,  and  we  pity  them,  for  we  know  they  are 
hungry,  and  we  give  them  money  every  time  we  pass  by  them.  In  four 
days  we  have  given  twenty  dollars  to  hungry  children — we  give  our  money 
only  to  children.  We  are  told  that  the  fathers  of  these  children  are  in  the 
houses  where  they  sell  fire-water,  and  are  drunk,  and  in  their  words  they 
every  moment  abuse  and  insult  the  Great  Spirit.  You  talk  about  sending 
black-coats  among  the  Indians:  now  we  have  no  such  poor  children  among 
us ;  we  have  no  such  drunkards,  or  people  who  abuse  the  Great  Spirit. 
Indians  dare  not  do  so.  They  pray  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  he  is  kind  to 
them.  Now  we  think  it  would  be  better  for  your  teachers  all  to  stay  at 
home,  and  go  to  work  right  here  in  your  own  streets,  where  all  your  good 
work  is  wanted.  This  is  my  advice.  I  would  rather  not  say  any  more." 
(To  this  all  responded  '  How,  how,  how  ! ') 

Jim  had  evidently  got  ready  to  speak,  and  showed  signs 
of  beginning ;  but  White-cloud  spoke  to  him,  and  wished 
him  not  to  say  anything.  It  was  decided  by  these  gentle 
men  at  once  to  be  best  not  to  urge  the  conversation  with 
them  ;  and  Mr.  Melody  explained  to  them  the  number 
of  times  they  had  heard  and  said  all  that  could  be  said  on 
the  subject  while  in  London,  and  that  they  were  out  of  pa- 


VOYAGE  TO  DUBLIN.  177 

tience,  and  of  course  a  little  out  of  the  humour  for  it. 
These  gentlemen,  however,  took  great  interest  in  them,  and 
handed  to  each  of  the  chiefs  a  handsome  Bible,  impressing 
upon  them  the  importance  of  the  words  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
which  were  certainly  all  contained  in  them,  and  which  they 
hoped  the  Indians  might  have  translated  to  them.  And  as  I 
was  descending  the  stairs  with  them,  one  of  them  said  to  me 
that  he  never  in  his  life  heard  truer  remarks,  or  a  lesson 
that  more  distinctly  and  forcibly  pointed  out  the  primary 
duties  of  his  profession. 

A  few  days  more,  the  incidents  of  which  I  need  not  name, 
finished  our  visit  to  the  city  of  Glasgow;  and  an  hour  or 
more  by  the  railway,  along  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Clyde, 
and  passing  Dumbarton  Castle,  landed  us  in  the  snug  little 
town  of  Greenock,  from  which  we  were  to  take  steamer  to 
Dublin. 

The  Indians  gave  their  dances  and  other  amusements 
there  for  three  or  four  evenings  before  we  took  leave.  They 
were  looked  upon  there  as  great  curiosities,  but  scarcely 
formed  any  acquaintances  or  attachments,  except  in  one 
branch  of  our  concern.  All  were  anxious  to  leave  and  be 
on  the  way  to  Dublin,  except  the  Doctor,  who  thought 
it  was  bad  policy  to  leave  so  quick ;  and  though  he  got  on 
to  the  steamer  with  all  the  rest,  he  did  it  very  reluctantly, 
without  assigning  any  reason  for  it  until  we  were  on  the 
voyage,  when  he  acknowledged  to  Daniel  that  the  reason 
why  he  disliked  to  leave  so  soon  was,  that  "  one  of  the  little 
maids  in  the  hotel  where  they  lodged  used  to  come  in  every 
night,  after  all  were  asleep,  and  lie  by  the  side  of  him  on 
his  buffalo  robe."  For  this  simple  acknowledgment  all 
seemed  rather  to  sympathise  with  the  polite  old  gentleman  ; 
but  it  was  now  too  late  for  a  remedy,  for  we  were  near  to 
the  desired  city  of  Dublin. 


VOL.   II.  N 


(     178     ) 


CHAPTER  XXTV. 

Arrival  in  Dublin — Decline  of  the  Roman  Nose — Exhibition  in  the  Ro 
tunda — Feast  of  ducks — First  drive — Phoenix  Park — Stags — Indians' 
ideas  of  game-laws  and  taxes — Annual  expenses  of  British  government 
— National  debt — Daniel  enters  these  in  Jim's  book — Indians  called 
"  Irishmen" — Author's  reply — Speech  of  the  War-chief — Jim's  rapid 
civilization — New  estimates  for  his  book — Daniel  reads  of  "  Murders, 
&c.,"  in  Times  newspaper — Jim  subscribes  for  the  Times — Petition  of 
100,000  women — Society  of  Friends  meet  the  Indians  in  the  Rotunda — 
Their  advice,  and  present  to  the  chiefs  40/. — Indians  invited  to  Zoolo 
gical  Gardens — Presented  with  36/. — Indians  invited  to  Trinity  College 
— Conversation  with  the  Rev.  Master  on  religion — Liberal  presents — 
They  visit  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin — Presents — All  breakfast  with  Mr. 
Joseph  Bewly,  a  Friend — Kind  treatment — Christian  advice — Sickness 
of  Roman  Nose — Various  entertainments  by  the  Friends — A  curious 
beggar — Indians'  liberality  to  the  poor — Arrival  at  Liverpool — Rejoicing 
and  feast — Council — Roman  Nose  placed  in  an  hospital — Arrival  in 
Manchester — Exhibition  in  Free  Trade  Hall — Immense  platform — 
Three  wigwams — Archery — Ball-play,  &c. — Great  crowds — Bobasheela 
arrives — Death  of  the  Roman  Nose — Forms  of  burial,  &c. 

IN  Dublin,  where  we  arrived  on  the  4th  of  March,  after 
an  easy  voyage,  comfortable  quarters  were  in  readiness 
for  the  party,  and  their  breakfast  soon  upon  the  table. 
The  Indians,  having  heard  that  there  were  many  of  "  the 
good  people  "  (the  Friends)  in  Dublin,  and  having  brought 
letters  of  introduction  to  some  of  them,  had  been  impatient 
to  reach  that  city ;  and  their  wish  being  successfully  and 
easily  accomplished,  they  now  felt  quite  elated  and  happy, 
with  apparentiy  but  one  thing  to  depress  their  spirits, 
which  was  the  continued  and  increasing  illness  of  the 
Roman  Nose.  He  was  gradually  losing  flesh  and  strength, 
and  getting  now  a  continual  fever,  which  showed  the 
imminent  danger  of  his  condition.  He  had  the  ablest 
medical  advice  that  the  city  could  afford.,  and  we  still  had 


DUBLIN:  AMUSING  SCENE.  179 

some  hopes  of  his  recovery.  Rooms  had  been  prepared  for 
the  exhibitions  of  the  Indians  in  the  Rotunda,  and,  on  the 
second  night  after  their  arrival,  they  commenced  with  a 
respectable  audience,  and  all  seemed  delighted  and  sur 
prised  with  their  picturesque  effect. 

There  was  much  applause  from  the  audience,  but  no 
speeches  from  the  Indians,  owing  to  their  fatigue,  or  to  the 
fact  that  they  had  not  yet  rode  about  the  city  to  see  any 
thing  to  speak  about.  They  returned  from  their  exhibition 
to  their  apartments,  and  after  their  supper  they  were 
happy  to  find  that  their  beef-steaks  were  good,  and  that 
they  had  found  again  the  London  cliickabobboo. 

A  very  amusing  scene  occurred  during  the  exhibition, 
which  had  greatly  excited  the  Indians,  though  they  had 
but  partially  understood  it,  and  now  called  upon  me  to 
explain  it  to  them.  While  speaking  of  the  modes  of  life  of 
the  loway  Indians,  and  describing  their  way  of  catching  the 
wild  horses  on  the  prairies,  a  dry  and  quizzical-looking  sort 
of  man  rose,  and,  apparently  half  drunk,  excited  the  hisses 
of  the  audience  whilst  he  was  holding  on  to  the  end  of  a  seat 
to  steady  him.  It  was  difficult  to  get  him  down,  and  I 
desired  the  audience  to  listen  to  what  he  had  to  say. 
"  Ee — you'l  escuse  me,  sir,  to  e  —  yax  e —  yif  you  are  ye  man 
woo  was  lecturing  e — year  some  time  see — ynce,  e — on  ther 
Yindians  and  the — r  wild  e  —  yorses  ?  —  e  —  (hie)  —  e  — 
and  the — r  breathin,  he  —  (hie)  — e  —  in  thee — ir  noses?" 
The  excessive  singularity  of  this  fellow  set  the  whole  house 
in  a  roar  of  laughter,  and  all  felt  disposed  to  hear  him  go  on. 
"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  I  am  the  same  man."  "  Ee — e —  r  wal, 
sir,  e  —  yerts  all  — (hie),  e — yits  all  gammon,  sir,  e — yer,  y 
— ers,  (hie)  yers  tried  it  on  two  fillies,  sir,  e  — yand — (hie) 
yand  it  didn't  se — seed,  sir."  The  poor  fellow,  observing  the 
great  amusement  of  the  ladies  as  he  looked  around  the  room^ 
was  at  once  disposed  to  be  a  little  witty,  and  proceeded — 
*' Ee — (hie) — ye — yer  tried  it  e — yon  se — ?\  young  ladies,? — 
yand  (hie)  se — seded  yerry  well!"  The  poor  fellow  seemed 
contented  with  his  wit  thus  far  rather  than  try  to  proceed 

N  2 


180  FEAST  OF  DUCKS. 

further;  and  he  sat  down  amidst  the  greatest  possible  amuse 
ment  of  the  audience,  many  of  whom,  notwithstanding,  did 
not  seem  to  understand  his  meaning,  when  I  deemed  it 
necessary  to  explain  that  he  referred  to  my  account  of  Indians 
breaking  wild  horses  by  breathing  in  their  noses,  which  it 
would  seem  he  had  tried  in  vain,  but  by  experimenting  on 
young  ladies  he  had  met  with  great  success.* 

The  Indians  had  become  very  much  attached  to  Daniel, 
who  had  been  so  long  a  companion  and  fellow-traveller  with 
them,  and  felt  pleasure  with  him  that  he  was  again  upon 
his  native  soil.  He  had  described  to  them  that  they  were 
now  in  a  different  country  again,  and  they  resolved  to 
have  their  necessary  feast  of  ducks  the  next  morning  for 
breakfast,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  their  drive,  in  which 
they  were  to  open  their  eyes  to  the  beauties  of  Dublin, 
when  Daniel  was  to  accompany  them,  and  explain  all  that 
they  saw.  They  invited  him  to  the  feast,  and  thought  it  as 
wrell  to  call  upon  him  now  as  at  a  future  time  for  the  bottle 
or  two  of  the  Queens  chickabobboo  (champagne)  which  he  had 
agreed  to  produce  when  he  got  on  to  his  native  shore  again. 

Nothing  more  of  course  could  be  seen  until  their  feast 
was  over,  and  they  were  all  in  their  buss  as  usual,  with  four 
horses,  which  was  ready  and  started  off  with  them  at  ten 
o'clock  the  next  morning.  The  Doctor,  in  his  familiar  way, 
was  alongside  of  the  driver,  with  his  buffalo  horns  and 
eagle  crest,  and  his  shining  lance,  with  his  faithful  com 
panion  Jim  by  his  side,  and  they  caused  a  prodigious 
sensation  as  they  were  whirled  along  through  the  prin 
cipal  streets  of  Dublin.  One  may  think  at  first  glance 
that  he  can  appreciate  all  the  excitement  and  pleasure 
which  the  Doctor  took  in  those  drives,  taking  his  first  survey 
of  the  shops  and  all  the  curious  places  he  was  peeping  into 
as  he  rode  along ;  but  on  a  little  deliberation  they  will 
easily  see  that  his  enjoyment  might  have  been  much  greater 


*  See   English   experiments   in   breaking  horses   by  the  Indian  mode. 
Appendix  B. 


GAME-LAWS  AND  TAXES.  181 

than  the  world  supposed  who  were  gazing  at  him,  without 
thinking  how  much  there  was  under  his  eye  that  was  novel 
and  exciting  to  a  savage  from  the  wilderness. 

After  passing  through  several  of  the  principal  streets 
they  were  driven  to  the  Phoanix  Park,  where  they  left  their 
carriage,  and,  taking  a  run  for  a  mile  or  two,  felt  much 
relieved  and  delighted  with  the  exercise.  The  noble  stags 
that  started  up  and  were  bounding  away  before  them 
excited  them  very  much,  and  they  were  wishing  for  their 
weapons  which  they  had  left  behind.  However,  they  had 
very  deliberately  and  innocently  agreed  to  take  a  regular 
hunt  there  in  a  few  days,  and  have  a  saddle  or  two  of 
venison,  but  wiser  Daniel  reminding  them  of  the  game-laws 
of  this  country,  of  which  they  had  before  heard  no  account, 
knocked  all  their  sporting  plans  on  the  head. 

Nothing  perhaps  astonished  them  since  they  came  into 
the  country  more  than  the  idea  that  a  man  is  liable  to 
severe  punishment  by  the  laws,  for  shooting  a  deer,  a  rabbit, 
or  a  partridge,  or  for  catching  a  fish  out  of  a  lake  or  a  river, 
without  a  licence,  for  which  he  must  pay  a  tax  to  the  govern 
ment,  and  that  then  they  can  only  shoot  upon  certain 
grounds.  The  poor  fellows  at  first  treated  the  thing  as 
ridiculous  and  fabulous  ;  but  on  being  assured  that  such 
was  the  fact,  they  were  overwhelmed  with  astonishment. 
"  What !"  asked  one  of  them,  "  if  a  poor  man  is  hungry  and 
sees  a  fine  fish  in  the  water,  is  he  not  allowed  to  spear  it  out 
and  eat  it  ?"  "  No,"  said  Daniel,  "  if  he  does,  he  must  go 
to  jail,  and  pay  a  heavy  fine  besides.  A  man  is  not  allowed 
to  keep  a  gun  in  his  house  without  paying  a  tax  to  the 
government  for  it,  and  if  he  carries  a  weapon  in  his  pocket 
he  is  liable  to  a  fine."  "  Why  is  that  ?"  "  Because  they  arc 
afraid  he  will  kill  somebody  with  it."  "  What  do  you 
call  a  tax  ?"  said  Jim.  "  Let  that  alone,"  said  Daniel,  "  until 
we  get  home,  and  then  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it."  Here 
was  a  new  field  opening  to  their  simple  minds  for  contem 
plation  upon  the  beautiful  mysteries  and  glories  of  civiliza 
tion,  in  which  a  few  hours  of  Daniel's  lectures  would  be 


182  GOVERNMENT  EXPENSES. 

sure  to  enlighten  them.  They  dropped  the  subject  here 
however,  and  took  their  carriage  again  for  the  city  and 
their  lodgings,  laughing  excessively  as  they  were  returning, 
and  long  after  they  got  back,  at  cabs  they  were  constantly 
passing,  which  they  insisted  on  it  had  got  turned  around, 
and  were  going  sideways.*  When  they  had  returned  and 
finished  their  first  remarks  about  the  curious  things  they 
had  seen,  Daniel  began  to  give  them  some  first  ideas  about 
taxes  and  fines  which  they  had  inquired  about,  and  which 
they  did  not  as  yet  know  the  meaning  of.  He  explained 
also  the  game-laws,  and  showed  them  that  in  such  a  country 
as  England,  if  the  government  did  not  protect  the  game  and 
the  fish  in  such  a  manner,  there  would  soon  be  none  left,  and, 
as  it  was  preserved  in  such  a  way,  the  government  made 
those  who  wished  to  hunt  or  to  fish,  pay  a  sum  of  money  to 
help  meet  the  expenses  of  the  government,  and  he  explained 
the  many  ways  in  which  people  pay  taxes.  "  All  of  this/'  said 
he,  "  goes  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  government,  and  to  sup 
port  the  Queen  and  royal  family.  He  read  to  them  from  a 
newspaper  that  the  actual  cost  of  supporting  the  royal  family 
and  attendants  was  891,000/.  sterling  (4,455,000  dollars) 
per  annum;  that  the  Queen's  pin-money  (privy  purse) 
is  60,OOOJ.  (300,000  dollars) ;  the  Queen's  coachmen,  pos 
tilions,  and  footmen  12,5507.  (62,750  dollars). 

He  read  from  the  same  paper  also  that  the  expenses  of 
the  navy  were  5,854,851Z.  (being  about  29,274/255  dollars) 
per  annum,  and  that  the  expenses  of  the  army  were  still 
much  greater,  and  that  these  all  together  form  but  a  part  of 
the  enormous  expenses  of  the  government,  which  must  all 
be  raised  by  taxes  in  different  ways,  and  that  the  people 
must  pay  all  these  expenses  at  last,  in  paying  for  what  they 
eat  and  drink  and  wear,  so  much  more  than  the  articles  are 
worth,  that  a  little  from  all  may  go  to  the  government  to 
pay  the  government's  debts.  He  also  stated  that,  notwith 
standing  so  much  went  to  the  government,  the  nation 

*  Only  to  be  appreciated  by  those  who  have  seen  the  Dublin  "  cars." 


ENTRIES  IN  THE  NOTE-BOOK.  183 

was  in  debt  at  this  time  to  the  amount  of  764,000,0007. 
(3,820,000,000  dollars).  This  was  beyond  all  their  ideas 
of  computation,  and,  as  it  could  not  be  possibly  appreciated 
by  them,  Daniel  and  they  had  to  drop  it,  as  most  people 
do  (and  as  the  country  probably  will  before  it  is  paid),  as  a 
mystery  too  large  for  just  comprehension. 

Jim  wanted  these  estimates  down  in  his  book  however, 
thinking  perhaps  that  he  might  some  time  be  wise  enough 
to  comprehend  them  or  find  some  one  that  could  do  it.  And 
when  Daniel  had  put  them  down,  he  also  made  another  memo 
randum  underneath  them  to  this  effect,  and  which  astonished 
the  Indians  very  much — "  The  plate  that  ornamented  the 
sideboard  at  the  banquet  at  the  Queen's  nuptials  was 
estimated  at  500,0007.  (2,500,000  dollars)." 

By  the  time  their  statistics  had  progressed  thus  far  their 
dinner  was  ready,  which  was  a  thing  much  more  simple  to 
comprehend,  and  consequently  more  pleasing  to  them ;  so 
their  note-book  was  shut,  and  taxes  and  game-laws  and 
national  debt  gave  way  to  roast-beef  and  chickabobboo. 

Their  drive  through  the  city  had  tended  to  increase  the 
curiosity  to  see  them,  and  their  exhibition-room  on  the 
second  night  was  crowded  to  excess.  This  was  sure  to  put 
the  Indians  into  the  best  of  humour  ;  and  seeing  in  different 
parts  of  the  room  quite  a  number  of  Friends,  gave  them 
additional  satisfaction. 

In  a  new  country  again,  and  before  so  full  and  fashion 
able  an  audience,  I  took  unusual  pains  to  explain  the 
objects  for  which  these  people  had  come  to  this  country, 
their  personal  appearance,  and  the  modes  they  were  to 
illustrate.  When  I  had  got  through,  and  the  Indians  were 
sitting  on  the  platform  and  smoking  their  pipe,  a  man  rose 
in  the  crowd  and  said,  "That's  all  gammon,  sir! — these 
people  are  not  Indians.  I  have  seen  many  Indians,  sir, 
and  you  can't  hoax  me !"  Here  the  audience  hissed, 
and  raised  the  cry  of  "Put  him  out! — shame!"  &c.  I 
stepped  forward,  and  with  some  difficulty  got  them  silent, 
and  begged  they  would  let  the  gentleman  finish  his  re- 


184  INDIANS  CALLED  IRISHMEN. 

marks,  because,  if  they  were  fairly  heard  and  understood, 
they  might  probably  add  much  to  the  amusements  of  the 
evening.  So  he  proceeded:  "I  know  this  to  be  a  very 
great  imposition,  and  I  think  it  is  a  pity  if  it  is  allowed  to 
go  on.  I  have  seen  too  many  Indians  to  be  deceived  about 
them.  I  was  at  Bombay  six  years,  and  after  that  at  Cal 
cutta  long  enough  to  know  what  an  Indian  is.  I  know  that 
their  hair  is  always  long  and  black,  and  not  red  :  I  know 
that  these  men  are  Irishmen,  and  painted  up  in  this  manner 
to  gull  the  public.  There  's  one  of  those  fellows  I  know  very 
well — I  have  seen  him  these  three  years  at  work  in  M'Gill's 
carpenter's  shop,  and  saw  him  there  but  a  few  days  ago ; 
so  I  pronounce  them  but  a  raw  set,  as  well  as  impostors  !" 

When  he  sat  down  I  prevented  the  audience  from  making 
any  further  noise  than  merely  laughing,  which  was  excessive 
all  over  the  room.  I  said  that  "to  contradict  this  gentle 
man  would  only  be  to  repeat  what  I  had  said,  and  I 
hoped  at  least  he  would  remain  in  the  room  a  few  minutes 
until  they  would  execute  one  of  their  dances,  that  he  might 
give  his  opinion  as  to  my  skill  in  teaching  '  raw  recruits '  as 
he  called  them."  The  Indians,  who  had  been  smoking  their 
pipes  all  this  time  without  knowing  what  the  delay  had 
been  about,  now  sprang  upon  their  feet  and  commenced  the 
war-dance  ;  all  further  thoughts  of  "  imposition"  and  "  raw 
recruits"  were  lost  sight  of  here  and  for  the  rest  of  the 
evening.  When  their  dance  was  done  they  received  a 
tremendous  roar  of  applause,  and  after  resting  a  few 
minutes  the  Doctor  was  on  his  feet,  and  evidently  trying 
very  hard  in  a  speech  to  make  a  sensation  (as  he  had  made 
on  the  first  night  in  London)  among  the  ladies.  Jeffrey 
interpreted  his  speech ;  and  although  it  made  much  amuse 
ment,  and  was  applauded,  still  it  fell  very  far  short  of  what 
his  eloquence  and  his  quizzical  smiles  and  wit  had  done  on 
the  former  occasion.  Being  apprehensive  also  of  Jim's  cruel 
sarcasms  when  he,  should  stop,  and  apparently  in  hopes,  too,  of 
still  saying  something  more  witty,  he,  unfortunately  for  its 
whole  effect,  continued  to  speak  a  little  too  long  after  he  had 


THE  WAR-CHIEF'S  SPEECH.  185 

said  his  best  things  ;  so  he  sat  down  (though  in  applause)  rather 
dissatisfied  with  himself,  and  seemed  for  some  time  in  a 
sort  of  study,  as  if  he  was  trying  to  recollect  what  he  had 
said,  a  peculiarity  possibly  belonging  to  Indian  orators. 

When  the  Doctor  had  finished,  all  arose  at  the  sound  of 
the  war-whoop  given  by  the  War-chief,  and  they  gave  with 
unusual  spirit  the  discovery  dance,  and  after  that  their 
favourite,  the  eagle  dance.  The  finish  of  this  exciting 
dance  brought  rounds  of  deafening  applause  and  "  bravo  !" 
in  the  midst  of  which  the  War-chief  arose,  and,  throwing  his 
buffalo  robe  around  him,  said, — 

"  My  friends — We  see  that  we  are  in  a  new  city,  a  strange  place  to  us, 
but  that  we  are  not  amongst  enemies,  and  this  gives  us  great  pleasure. 
('  How,  how,  how!'  and  '  Hear,  hear.') 

"  My  friends — It  gives  me  pleasure  to  see  so  many  smiling  faces  about 
us,  for  we  know  that  when  you  smile  you  are  not  angry ;  we  think  you  are 
amused  with  our  dancing.  It  is  the  custom  in  our  country  always  to  thank 
the  Great  Spirit  first.  He  has  been  kind  to  us,  and  our  hearts  are  thankful 
that  he  has  allowed  us  to  reach  your  beautiful  city,  and  to  be  with  you 
to-night.  ('  How,  how,  how!') 

"  My  friends — Our  modes  of  dancing  are  different  from  yours,  and  you 
see  we  don't  come  to  teach  you  to  dance,  but  merely  to  show  you  how  the 
poor  Indians  dance.  We  are  told  that  you  have  your  dancing-masters  ;  but 
the  Great  Spirit  taught  us,  and  we  think  we  should  not  change  our  mode. 
('  How,  how,  how  ! ') 

"  My  friends — The  interpreter  has  told  us  that  some  one  in  the  room 
has  said  we  were  not  Indians — that  we  were  Irishmen !  Now  we  are  not 
in  any  way  angry  with  this  rnan  ;  if  we  were  Irishmen,  we  might  be  perhaps. 
('  Hear,  hear.'  'Bravo!') 

"  My  friends— We  are  rather  sorry  for  the  man  than  angry;  it  is  his 
ignorance,  and  that  is  perhaps  because  he  is  too  far  off:  let  him  come  nearer 
to  us  and  examine  our  skins,  our  ears,  and  our  noses,  full  of  holes  and 
trinkets — Irishmen  don't  bore  their  noses.  (Great  laughter,  and  '  Bravo  ! ') 

"  My  friends — Tell  that  man  we  will  be  glad  to  see  him  arid  shake  hands 
with  him,  and  he  will  then  be  our  friend  at  once."  ("  Bravo  !  "  and  cries 
of  "  Go,  go  !  "  from  every  part  of  the  room  :  "  You  must  go  !  ") 

The  gentleman  left  his  seat  upon  this  in  a  very  embar 
rassed  condition,  and,  advancing  to  the  platform,  shook  the 
War-chief  and  each  one  of  the  party  by  the  hand,  and  took 
a  seat  near  to  them  for  the  rest  of  the  evening,  evidently 


MILITARY  AND  POLICE  IN  IRELAND. 

well  pleased  with  their  performances,  and  well  convinced 
that  they  were  not  Irishmen. 

After  this  the  Indians  proceeded  by  giving  several  other 
dances,  songs,  &c.  ;  and  when  it  was  announced  that  their 
amusements  for  the  evening  were  finished,  they  seated  them 
selves  on  the  edge  of  the  platform  to  meet  those  who  desired  to 
give  them  their  hands.  Half  an  hour  or  so  was  spent  in  this 
ceremony,,  during  which  time  they  received  many  presents, 
and,,  what  to  them  was  more  gratifying,  they  felt  the  affec 
tionate  hands  of  a  number  of  the  "  good  people "  they 
were  so  anxious  to  meet,  and  who  they  saw  were  taking 
a  deep  interest  in  their  behalf  already.  They  returned  to 
their  apartments  unusually  delighted  with  their  reception, 
and,  after  their  supper  and  chickabolboo,  Jim  had  some  dry 
jokes  for  the  Doctor  about  his  speech  ;  assuring  him  that  he 
never  would  "go  down  "  with  the  Irish  ladies — that  his 
speech  had  been  a  decided  failure — and  that  he  had  better 
hereafter  keep  his  mouth  entirely  shut.  They  had  much 
merriment  also  about  the  "mistake  the  poor  man  had  made 
in  calling  them  Irishmen,"  and  all  applauded  the  War- 
chief  for  the  manner  in  which  he  had  answered  him  in  his 
speech. 

The  Indians  in  their  drive  during  the  morning  had  observed 
an  unusual  number  of  soldiers  in  various  parts  of  the  city, 
and,  on  inquiring  of  Daniel  why  there  were  so  many  when 
there  was  no  war  and  no  danger,  they  learned  to  their  great 
surprise  that  this  country,  like  the  one  they  had  just  left, 
had  been  subjugated  by  England,  and  that  a  large  mili 
tary  force  was  necessary  to  be  kept  in  all  the  towns  to  keep 
the  people  quiet,  and  to  compel  them  to  pay  their  taxes  to 
the  government.  They  thought  the  police  were  more  fre 
quent  here  also  than  they  had  seen  them  in  London,  and 
laughed  very  much  at  their  carrying  clubs  to  knock  men 
down  with.  They  began  to  think  that  the  Irish  must  be 
very  bad  people  to  want  so  many  to  watch  them  with  guns 
and  clubs,  and  laughed  at  Daniel  about  the  wickedness  of 
his  countrymen.  He  endeavoured  to  explain  to  them,  how- 


MOKE  ESTIMATES  FOR  JIM'S  BOOK.  187 

ever.,  that,  if  they  had  to  work  as  hard  as  the  Irishmen  did, 
and  then  had  their  hard  earnings  mostly  all  taken  away 
from  them,  they  would  require  as  strong  a  military  force 
to  take  care  of  them  as  the  Irish  did.  His  argument  com 
pletely  brought  them  over,  and  they  professed  perfectly 
to  understand  the  case  ;  and  all  said  they  could  see  why  so 
many  soldiers  were  necessary.  The  police,  he  said,  were 
kept  in  all  the  towns,  night  and  day,  to  prevent  people  from 
stealing,  from  breaking  into  each  other's  houses,  from  fight 
ing,  and  from  knocking  each  other  down  and  taking  away 
their  property.  The  insatiate  Jim  then  conceived  the  idea 
of  getting  into  his  book  the  whole  number  of  soldiers  that 
were  required  in  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland  to  keep 
the  people  at  work  in  the  factories,  and  to  make  them  pay 
their  taxes  ;  and  also  the  number  of  police  that  were  ne 
cessary  in  the  different  cities  and  towns  to  keep  people  all 
peaceable,  and  quiet,  and  honest.  Daniel  had  read  to  them 
only  a  day  or  two  before  an  article  in  the  '  Times '  news 
paper,  setting  forth  all  these  estimates,  and,  being  just  the 
thing  he  wanted,  copied  them  into  his  book. 

The  reader  sees  by  this  time  that,  although  Jim's  looks 
were  against  him,  as  an  orator  or  lecturer,  when  he  should 
get  back  to  his  own  country — and  also  that  though  his  ima 
gination  could  not  take  its  wings  until  he  was  flat  upon 
his  back — still  that  he  was,  by  dint  of  industry  and  con 
stant  effort,  preparing  himself  with  a  magazine  of  facts 
which  were  calculated  to  impress  upon  the  simple  minds  of 
the  people  in  his  country  the  strongest  proofs  of  the  virtue 
and  superior  blessings  of  civilization. 

These  people  had  discernment  enough  to  see  that  such  an 
enormous  amount  of  soldiers  and  police  as  their  list  pre 
sented  them  would  not  be  kept  in  pay  if  they  were  not 
necessary.  And  they  naturally  put  the  question  at  once — 
'-  What  state  would  the  country  be  in  if  the  military  and 
police  were  all  taken  away  ?  "  They  had  been  brought  to 
the  zenith  of  civilization  that  they  might  see  and  admire  it 
in  its  best  form  ;  but  the  world  who  read  will  see  with  me 


188  CONSUMPTION  OF  ARDENT  SPIRITS. 

that  they  were  close  critics,  and  agree  with  me,  I  think,  that 
it  is  almost  a  pity  they  should  be  the  teachers  of  such  statis 
tics  as  they  are  to  teach  to  thousands  yet  to  be  taught  in 
the  wilderness.  As  I  have  shown  in  a  former  part  of  this 
work,  I  have  long  since  been  opposed  to  parties  of  Indians 
being  brought  to  this  country,  believing  that  civilization 
should  be  a  gradual  thing,  rather  than  open  the  eyes  of 
these  ignorant  people  to  all  its  mysteries  at  a  glance,  when 
the  mass  of  its  poverty  and  vices  alarms  them,  and  its  luxu 
ries  and  virtues  are  at  a  discouraging  distance — beyond  the 
reach  of  their  attainment. 

Daniel  was  at  this  time  cutting  a  slip  from  the  '  Times,' 
which  he  read  to  Jim  ;  and  it  was  decided  at  once  to  be  an 
admissible  and  highly  interesting  entry  to  make,  and  to  go 
by  the  side  of  his  former  estimates  of  the  manufacture 
and  consumption  of  chickabobboo.  The  article  ran  thus  :— 
"  The  consumption  of  ardent  spirits  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland  in  the  last  year  was  29,200,000  gallons,  and  the 
Poor  Law  Commissioners  estimate  the  money  annually 
spent  in  ardent  spirits  at  24,000,000/.  (120,000 ,000  dollars)  : 
and  it  is  calculated  that  50,000  drunkards  die  yearly  in 
England  and  Ireland,  and  that  one-half  of  the  insanity,  two- 
thirds  of  the  pauperism,  and  three-fourths  of  the  crimes  of 
the  land  are  the  consequences  of  drunkenness." 

This,  Jim  said,  was  one  of  the  best  things  he  had  got  down 
in  his  book,  because  he  said  that  the  black- coats  were  always 
talking  so  much  about  the  Indians  getting  drunk,  that  it 
would  be  a  good  thing  for  him  to  have  to  show  ;  and  he  said 
he  thought  he  should  be  able,  when  they  were  about  to  go 
home,  to  get  Chippehola*  to  write  by  the  side  of  it  that 
fourteen  loways  were  one  year  in  England  and  never 
drank  any  of  this  fire-water,  and  were  never  drunk  in  that 
time. 

Daniel  and  Jeffrey  continued  to  read  (or  rather  Daniel 
to  read,  and  Jeffrey  to  interpret)  the  news  and  events  in 

*  The  Author. 


JIM  SUBSCRIBES  FOR  THE  'TIMES.'  189 

the  '  Times,'  to  which  the  Indians  were  all  listening  with 
attention.  He  read  several  amusing  things,  and  then  of  a 
"  Horrid  murder  /"  a  man  had  murdered  his  wife  and  two  little 
children.  He  read  the  account ;  and  next — "  Brutal  Assault 
on  a  Female  /" — "A  Father  killed  by  his  own  Son  /" — ''Mur 
der  of  an  Infant  and  Suicide  of  the  Mother  !" — "  Death  from 
Starvation  /" — "  Execution  of  Sarah  Loundes  for  poisoning  her 
Husband!"— •" Robbery  of  150/.  Bank  of  England  Notes!" 
&c.  &c. 

They  had  read  so  many  exciting  things  in  one  paper,  and 
were  but  half  through  the  list,  when  Jim,  who  had  rolled 
over  on  his  back  and  drawn  up  his  knees,  as  if  he  was  going 
to  say  something,  asked  how  much  was  the  price  of  that 
newspaper ;  to  which  Daniel  replied  that  there  was  one 
printed  each  day  like  that,  and  the  price  fivepence  each. 
"  Well,"  said  Jim,  "  I  believe  everything  is  in  that  paper, 
and  I  will  give  you  the  money  to  get  it  for  me  every  day. 
Go  to  the  man  and  tell  him  I  want  one  of  every  kind  he 
has :  I  will  take  them  all  home  with  me,  and  1  will  some 
time  learn  to  read  them  all." 

A  clever  idea  entered  (or  originated  in)  the  heavy  brain  of 
Jim  at  this  moment.  He  went  to  a  box  in  the  corner  of  the 
room,  from  which  he  took  out,  and  arranged  on  the  floor, 
about  twenty  handsomely-bound  Bibles,  when  he  made  this 
memorable  and  commercial- like  vociferation,  in  tolerably 
plain  English : "  I  guess  em  swap !"  He  had  been  much  amused 
with  several  numbers  of  '  Punch,'  which  he  had  long  pored 
over  and  packed  away  for  amusement  on  the  prairies ;  and 
believing  that  his  plan  for  "swapping"  would  enable  him 
to  venture  boldly,  he  authorized  Daniel  to  subscribe  for 
Punch  also,  provided  Punch  would  take  Bibles  for  pay. 
Daniel  assured  him  that  that  would  be  u  no  go,"  as  he 
thought  Punch  would  not  care  about  Bibles;  but  told  him 
that  he  would  at  all  events  have  the  '  Times '  for  him  every 
morning,  as  he  wished,  and  was  now  going  to  read  to  them 
a  very  curious  thing  that  he  had  got  his  thumb  upon,  and 
commenced  to  read  : — 


190  PETITION  OF  100,000  WOMEN. 

"  Lord  R.  Grosvenor  and  Mr.  Spooner  attended  yesterday  at  the  Home- 
office  with  Sir  George  Grey  to  present  a  memorial  to  the  Queen  from  the 
women  of  England,  signed  by  100,000,  praying  that  the  bill  for  preventing 
trading  in  seduction  may  pass  into  a  law.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the 
petition  : — 

"  '  TO  THE  QUEEN. 

<£ '  We,  the  undersigned  women  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  placed  by 
Divine  Providence  under  the  sway  of  the  British  Sceptre,  which  God  has 
committed  to  your  Majesty's  hands,  most  humbly  beg  leave  to  make  known 
to  our  beloved  Sovereign  the  heavy  and  cruel  grievance  that  oppresses  a 
large  portion  of  the  female  population  of  the  realm.  A  system  exists,  by 
which  not  only  are  undue  facilities  and  temptations  held  out  to  the  immoral, 
the  giddy,  and  the  poor,  to  enter  upon  a  life  of  infamy,  degradation,  and 
ruin,  but  unwary  young  females  and  mere  children  are  frequently  entrapped, 
and  sold  into  the  hands  of  profligate  libertines.  Agents  are  sent  into  the 
towns  and  villages  of  the  United  Kingdom,  whose  ostensible  object  is  to 
engage  young  girls  for  domestic  service,  or  other  female  employments,  but 
whose  real  design  is  to  degrade  and  ruin  them.  Female  agents  are  also 
employed  in  London  and  many  of  our  large  towns  to  watch  the  public  con 
veyances,  and  decoy  the  simple  and  inexperienced  into  houses  of  moral 
pollution  and  crime,  by  offers  of  advice  or  temporary  protection.  By  such 
and  other  means  the  entrapping  of  innocent  young  women  is  reduced  to  a 
regular  trade,  the  existence  of  which  is,  in  the  highest  degree,  discreditable 
to  the  nation.  Despite  the  efforts  of  right-minded  men  and  of  benevolent 
institutions  to  suppress,  by  means  of  the  existing  laws,  this  vile  trade  in  fe 
male  innocence,  thousands  of  the  most  helpless  of  your  Majesty's  subjects 
are  annually  destroyed,  both  in  body  and  soul.  We  therefore  appeal  to 
your  Majesty,  beseeching  you  to  extend  your  Royal  protection  around  the 
daughters  of  the  poor,  by  promoting  such  vigorous  laws  as  the  wisdom  of 
your  Majesty's  counsellors  may  see  good  to  devise,  and  thereby  deliver 
your  Majesty's  fair  realm  from  a  system  of  profligacy  so  offensive  to  Al 
mighty  God,  and  so  fatal  to  the  personal,  social,  temporal,  and  spiritual 
well-being  of  the  women  of  England.'  " 

"  Fish  !  fish ! "  exclaimed  Jim,  as  Daniel  finished  reading. 
Some  laughed  excessively,  and  the  poor  Indian  women 
groaned ;  but  Jim,  lying  still  on  his  back,  and  of  course  his 
ideas  circulating  freely,  roared  out  again  "  Fish !  fish ! 
chickabobboo !  money!  money  I — put  that  all  in  my  book." 
Daniel  said,  "  There  is  no  need  of  that,  for  it  is  in  your 
paper,  which  is  all  the  same,  and  I  will  mark  a  black  line 
around  it."  "  Then  be  careful  not  to  lose  the  paper,"  said 
Jim,  "  for  I  like  that  very  much  :  I'll  show  that  to  the  black- 
coats  when  I  get  home." 


INTERVIEW  WITH  FRIENDS. 

Thus  the  talk  of  that  night  had  run  to  a  late  hour,  and  I 
took  leave. 

The  next  morning  I  received  two  invitations  for  the  In 
dians,  both  of  which  were  calculated  to  give  them  great 
pleasure  :  the  one  was  an  invitation  to  visit  the  Zoological 
Gardens,  then  in  their  infant  but  very  flourishing  state, 
when  the  directors  very  kindly  proposed  to  admit  the 
public  by  shilling  tickets,  and  to  give  the  receipts  to  the 
Indians.  This,  therefore,  was  very  exciting  to  their  ambition  ; 
and  the  other  invitation  was  equally  or  more  so,,  as  it  was 
from  several  gentlemen  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  who  pro 
posed  that,  as  there  were  a  great  many  of  that  society  in 
Dublin,  and  who  all  felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
Indians,  but  who  had,  many  of  them,  a  decided  objection  to 
attend  their  war-dances,  &c.,  they  should  feel  glad  to  meet 
them  at  some  hour  that  might  be  appointed,  in  their  exhi 
bition  room,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an  acquaintance 
with  them,  and  of  having  some  conversation  with  them  on 
the  subject  of  education,  agriculture,  &c.,  with  a  view  to 
ascertain  in  what  way  they  could  best  render  them  some 
essential  service.  This  invitation  was  embraced  by  the 
Indians  with  great  pleasure,  and  at  the  time  appointed  they 
met  about  one  hundred  ladies  and  gentlemen,  all  of  that 
society,  to  whom  I  introduced  them  by  briefly  explaining 
their  objects  in  visiting  this  country,  their  modes  of  life, 
their  costumes,  &c.  After  that,  several  ladies,  as  well  as 
gentlemen,  asked  them  questions  relative  to  their  religious 
belief  and  modes  of  worship  ;  to  all  of  which  the  War-chief 
answered  in  the  most  cheerful  manner  ;  and,  as  he  constantly 
replied  with  appeals  to  the  Great  Spirit,  who,  he  said, 
directed  all  their  hearts,  they  all  saw  in  him  a  feeling 
of  reverence  for  the  Great  Spirit,  which  satisfied  all  that 
they  were  endowed  with  high  sentiments  of  religion  and 
devotion. 

Mr.  Melody  here  stated  that  he  had  just  received  very 
interesting  and  satisfactory  letters  from  the  reverend  gen 
tlemen  conducting  a  missionary  school,  which  was  prospering, 


192 


PRESENTS  FROM  THE  FRIENDS. 


in  their  tribe,  parts  of  which  letters  he  read,  and  also  pre 
sented  a  small  book  already  printed  in  the  loway  language 
by  a  printing-press  belonging  to  the  Missionary  Society,  and 
now  at  work  at  their  mission.  This  gave  great  satisfaction 
to  the  visitors,  who  saw  that  these  people  had  friends  at 
home  who  were  doing  what  they  could  to  enlighten  their 
minds. 

The  friendly  feelings  of  all  present  were  then  conveyed 
to  them  by  several  who  addressed  them  in  turn,  expressing 
their  deep  anxiety  for  their  worldly  welfare  and  their 
spiritual  good,  and  in  the  kindest  and  most  impressive 
language  exhorted  them  to  temperance,  to  a  knowledge  of 
our  Saviour,  and  to  the  blessings  of  education,  which  lead  to 
it.  They  impressed  upon  their  minds  also  the  benefits  that 
would  flow  from  the  abandonment  of  their  hunters'  life  and 
warfare,  and  the  adoption  of  agricultural  pursuits.  It  was 
then  stated  that  it  was  the  object  of  the  meeting  to  make 
them  a  present  of  something  more  than  mere  professions  of 
friendship,  and  desired  of  me  to  ascertain  what  would  be 
most  useful  and  acceptable  to  them.  The  question  being  put 
to  them,  the  White  Cloud  replied  that  "  anything  they  felt 
disposed  to  give  they  would  accept  with  thankfulness,  but, 
as  the  question  had  been  asked,  he  should  say  that  money 
would  be  preferable  to  anything  else,  for  it  was  more  easily 
carried,  and  when  in  America,  and  near  their  own  country, 
they  could  buy  with  it  what  their  wives  and  little  children 
should  most  need."  It  was  then  proposed  that  a  hat  should 
be  passed  around,  for  the  purpose,  by  which  the  sum  of  40/. 
was  received,  and  handed  to  the  chief,  to  divide  between 
them.  Besides  this  very  liberal  donation,  a  number  of  beauti 
fully-bound  Bibles  were  presented  to  them,  and  several  very 
kind  and  lovely  ladies  went  to  the  shops,  and  returned  with 
beautiful  shawls  and  other  useful  presents  for  the  women  and 
children ;  and  one  benevolent  gentleman,  who  had  been  of  the 
meeting,  and  whose  name  I  regret  that  I  have  forgotten, 
brought  in  with  his  own  hands,  a  large  trunk  filled  with 
pretty  and  useful  things,  which  he  took  pleasure  in  dividing 


READING  THE  '  TIMES.'  1 93 

amongst  them,  and  in  presenting  the  trunk  to  the  wife  of 
the  chief. 

Thus  ended  this  very  kind  and  interesting  meeting,  which 
the  Indians  will  never  forget,  and  which  went  far  to 
strengthen  their  former  belief  that  the  "  good  people,"  as 
they  called  them,,  would  be  everywhere  found  to  be  their 
genuine  friends. 

Their  invitation  to  the  Zoological  Gardens  was  for  the 
day  following,  and  they  were  there  highly  entertained  by  the 
young  men  who  were  the  founders  of  that  institution.  They 
met  in  those  peculiarly  beautiful  grounds  a  great  nnmber  of 
the  fashionable  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  Dublin;  and,  after 
an  hour  or  two  delightfully  spent  amongst  them,  received 
from  the  treasurer  of  the  institution  the  sum  of  367. ,  that 
had  been  taken  at  the  entrance.  Nothing  could  have  been 
more  gratefully  received  than  were  these  two  kind  presents ; 
nor  could  anything  have  afforded  them  more  convincing 
proofs  of  the  hospitality  and  kindness  of  the  people  they 
were  amongst. 

The  exhibitions  at  the  Rotunda  were  continued  on  every 
evening,  and  the  Indians  took  their  daily  ride  at  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  seeing  all  that  wras  to  be  seen  in  the  streets 
and  the  suburbs  of  Dublin,  and  after  their  suppers  and  their 
chickabobboo  enjoyed  their  jokes  and  their  pipe,  whilst  they 
were  making  their  remarks  upon  the  occurrences  of  the  day, 
and  listening  to  Daniel's  readings  of  the  '  Times  '  newspaper, 
to  which  the  Chemokemon*  (as  they  now  called  him),  Jim, 
had  become  a  subscriber.  This  boundless  source  of  inform 
ation  and  amusement,,  just  now  opened  to  their  minds,  was 
engrossing  much  of  their  time  ;  and  Daniel  and  Jeffrey 
were  called  upon  regularly  every  night,  after  their  suppers, 
to  tell  them  all  that  was  new  and  curious  in  the  paper  of 
the  day ;  and  Jim  desired  a  daily  entry  in  his  book  of  the 
number  of  murders  and  robberies  that  appeared  in  it.  All 
this  Daniel,  in  his  kindness,  did  for  him,  after  reading  the 

*   White  man. 
VOL.  II.  O 


1 94  VISIT  THE  ARCHBISHOP  OF  DUBLIN. 

description  of  them ;  and  in  this  way  the  ingenious  Jim 
considered  he  had  all  things  now  in  good  train  to  enable  him 
to  enlighten  the  Indian  races  when  he  should  get  back  to 
the  prairies  of  his  own  country. 

Poor  Jim,  whose  avarice  began  to  dawn  with  his  first 
steps  towards  civilization,  and  who,  having  his  wife  with 
him  to  add  her  share  of  presents  to  his,  and  was  now  getting 
such  an  accumulation  of  Bibles  that  they  were  becoming  a 
serious  item  of  luggage,  related  here  a  curious  anecdote 
that  occurred  while  he  was  in  the  Zoological  Gardens  :— 

The  Bibles  they  had  received,  and  were  daily  receiving, 
as  "  the  most  valuable  presents  that  could  be  made  them," 
he  had  supposed  must  of  course  have  some  considerable 
intrinsic  value ;  and  he  felt  disposed,  as  he  was  now  increas 
ing  his  expenses,  by  taking  the  '  Times'  newspaper  and  in 
other  ways,  to  try  the  experiment  of  occasionally  selling  one 
of  his  bibles  to  increase  his  funds,  and,  on  starting  to  go  to 
the  gardens,  had  put  one  in  his  pouch  to  offer  to  people  he 
should  meet  in  the  crowd ;  and  it  seems  he  offered  it  in 
many  cases,  but  nobody  would  buy,  but  one  had  been  given 
to  him  by  a  lady ;  so  he  came  home  with  one  more  than  he 
took  ;  and  he  said  to  us,  "  I  guess  em  no  good — I  no  sell  em, 
but  I  get  em  a  heap." 

A  very  friendly  invitation  was  received  about  this  time 
from  the  President  of  Trinity  College  for  the  party  to  visit 
that  noble  institution,  and  Mr.  Melody  and  myself  took  great 
pleasure  in  accompanying  them  there.  They  were  treated 
there  with  the  greatest  possible  kindness ;  and,  after  being 
shown  through  all  its  parts — its  library,  museum,  &c. — a 
liberal  collection  was  made  for  them  amongst  the  reverend 
gentlemen  and  their  families,  and  presented  to  them  a  few 
days  afterwards. 

I  took  the  War-chief  and  several  of  the  party  to  visit  the 
Archbishop  of  Dublin  and  his  family,  who  treated  them 
with  much  kindness,  and  presented  to  each  a  sovereign,  as 
an  evidence  of  the  attachment  they  felt  for  them.  This 
unexpected  kindness  called  upon  them  for  some  expression 


VISIT  TO  MR.  BEWLEY,  195 

of  thanks  in  return  ;  and  the  War-chief,  after  offering  his 
hand  to  the  Archbishop,  said  to  him  : — 

"  My  friend,  as  the  Great  Spirit  has  moved  your  heart  to  be  kind  to  us, 
I  rise  up  to  thank  Him  first,  and  then  to  tell  you  how  thankful  we  feel  to 
you  for  what  your  hand  has  given  us.  We  are  poor,  and  do  not  deserve 
this ;  but  we  will  keep  it,  and  it  will  buy  food  and  clothing  for  our  little 
children. 

"  My  friend,  we  are  soon  going  from  here,  and  we  live  a  great  way.  We 
shall  never  see  your  face  again  in  this  world,  but  we  shall  hope  that  the 
Great  Spirit  will  allow  us  to  meet  in  the  world  that  is  before  us,  and  where 
you  and  I  must  soon  go." 

The  Archbishop  seemed  much  struck  with  his  remarks ; 
and,  taking  him  again  by  the  hand,  said  to  him  that  he 
believed  they  would  meet  again  in  the  world  to  come,  and, 
commending  the.n  to  the  care  of  the  Great  Spirit,  bade 
them  an  affectionate  farewell. 

An  invitation  was  awaiting  them  at  this  time,  also,  to 
breakfast  the  next  morning  with  Mr.  Joseph  Bewley,  a 
Friend,  and  who  lived  a  few  miles  out  of  the  city.  His 
carriages  arrived  for  them  at  the  hour,  and  the  whole 
party  visited  him  and  his  kind  family  and  took  their  break 
fast  with  them.  After  the  breakfast  was  over,  the  chief 
thanked  this  kind  gentleman  for  his  hospitality  and  the 
presents  very  liberally  bestowed ;  and  the  party  all  listened 
with  great  attention  to  the  Christian  advice  which  he  gave 
them,  recommending  to  them  also  to  lay  down  all  their 
weapons  of  war,  and  to  study  the  arts  of  peace.  These 
remarks  seemed  to  have  made  a  deep  impression  on  their 
minds,  for  they  were  daily  talking  of  this  kind  man  and  the 
advice  and  information  he  gave  them. 

Having  finished  our  exhibitions  by  advertisement.,  but 
being  detained  a  few  days  longer  in  Dublin  than  we  expected 
by  the  illness  of  the  Roman  Nose,  an  opportunity  was  afforded 
the  Indians  to  attend  a  number  of  evening  parties,  to 
which  they  were  invited  by  families  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
and  treated  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  attention. 

The  Indians  had  thus  formed  their  notions  of  the  beauti 
es  2 


196  IRISH  MENDICITY. 

ful  city  of  Dublin  by  riding  through  it  repeatedly  in  all  its 
parts — by  viewing,  outside  and  in,  its  churches,  its  colleges, 
its  gardens,  and  other  places  of  amusement ;  and  of  its 
inhabitants,  by  meeting  them  in  the  exhibition  rooms,  and 
in  their  own  houses,  at  their  hospitable  boards.  They 
decided  that  Edinburgh  was  rather  the  most  beautiful 
city;  that  in  Glasgow  they  saw  the  most  ragged  and  poor; 
and  that  in  Dublin  they  met  the  warmest-hearted  and 
most  kind  people  of  any  they  had  seen  in  the  kingdom. 
In  Dublin,  as  in  Glasgow,  they  had  been  in  the  habit  of 
throwing  handfuls  of  pence  to  the  poor;  and  at  length 
had  got  them  baited,  so  that  gangs  of  hungry,  ragged  crea 
tures  were  daily  following  their  carriage  home  to  their  door, 
and  there  waiting  under  their  windows  for  the  pence  that 
were  often  showered  down  upon  their  heads. 

Out  of  the  thousands  of  beggars  that  /  met  while  there 
(and  many  of  whom  extracted  money  from  my  pocket  by 
their  wit  or  drollery  when  I  was  not  disposed  to  give  it), 
there  was  but  one  of  whom  I  shall  make  mention  in  this 
place.  In  my  daily  walk  from  my  hotel  to  the  Rotunda, 
there  was  an  old,  hardy-looking  veteran,  who  used  often  to 
meet  me  and  solicit  with  great  importunity,  as  I  had  encou 
raged  him  by  giving  to  him  once  or  twice  when  I  first  met 
him.  I  was  walking  on  that  pavement  one  day  with  an 
American  friend  whom  I  had  met,  and,  observing  this  old 
man  coming  at  some  distance  ahead  of  us  on  the  same 
pavement,  I  said  to  my  friend,  "  Now  watch  the  motions  of 
that  old  fellow  as  he  comes  up  to  beg — look  at  the  expres 
sion  of  his  face."  When  we  had  got  within  a  few  rods  of 
him  the  old  man  threw  his  stomach  in,  and  one  knee  in  an 
instant  seemed  out  of  joint,  and  his  face  !  oh,  most  pitiable 
to  look  upon.  We  approached  him  arm-in-arm,  and  while 
coming  towards  him  I  put  my  hand  in  my  pocket  as  if  I 
was  getting  out  some  money,  which  brought  this  extraor 
dinary  expression  from  him  :  "  My  kind  sir,  may  the  gates 
of  Heaven  open  to  receive  you  !" — (by  this  time  we  had  got 
by  him,  and,  seeing  that  my  hand  remained  stationary  in 


KINDNESS  OF  THE  FRIENDS.  197 

my  pocket,  as  he  had  turned  round  and  was  scowling 
daggers  at  me) — "  and  may  you  be  kicked  out  the  moment 
you  get  there  !" 

There  is  an  inveteracy  in  the  Irish  begging  and  wit  that 
shows  it  to  be  native  and  not  borrowed;  it  is  therefore  more 
irresistible  and  more  successful  than  in  any  other  country 
perhaps  in  the  world.  I  speak  this,  however,  merely  as  an 
opinion  of  my  own,  formed  on  the  many  instances  where  the 
very  reasons  I  assigned  for  not  giving  were  so  ingeniously 
and  suddenly  turned  into  irresistible  arguments  for  giving, 
that  my  hand  was  in  my  pocket  before  I  was  aware  of  it. 

The  Indians  however  gave  from  other  motives ;  not  able 
to  appreciate  their  wit,  they  had  discernment  enough  to  see 
the  wretchedness  that  existed  among  the  poor  people  in  the 
lanes  and  outskirts  of  the  city,  and  too  much  pity  in  their 
hearts  not  to  try  with  their  money  to  relieve  them ;  and  in 
that  way  I  fully  believe  that  they  gave  a  very  considerable 
proportion  of  the  money  they  had  received  since  they 
entered  the  city. 

The  symptoms  of  the  poor  Roman  Nose,  whose  case  was  now 
decided  to  be  almost  hopeless,  were  a  little  more  favourable, 
and  it  was  agreed,  with  his  united  wish,  that  we  should 
start  for  Liverpool  by  steamer ;  and  on  the  morning  when 
we  went  on  board,  the  Indians  were  more  strongly  than  ever 
confirmed  in  their  belief  that  the  Friends  were  the  people 
who  had  taken  the  deepest  interest  in  their  welfare,  by 
meeting  nearly  all  they  had  seen  in  heir  numerous  visits, 
down  at  the  wharf,  to  shake  hands  with  them,  and  wish  them 
an  everlasting  farewell !  Such  proof  as  this,  which  brought 
even  tears  in  their  eyes,  will  be  the  last  to  be  forgotten  by 
them  or  by  me,  and  should  be  the  last  to  be  overlooked  in 
the  public  acknowledgment  I  am  now  making. 

Our  voyage  across  the  Channel  was  easy  and  pleasant; 
and  amongst  the  numerous  and  fashionable  people  on  board, 
poor  Jim  had  the  mortification  of  trying  to  test  the  intrinsic 
value  of  his  numerous  stock  of  Bibles  by  occasionally  offering 
one  that  he  carried  in  his  pouch.  "  I  no  sell  'em — they  no 


198  ARRIVAL  AT  LIVERPOOL. 

like  'em,"  was  his  reply  again ;  and  he  began  to  doubt  the 
value  of  them,  which  he  was  greatly  disappointed  to  find 
they  had  fixed  much  above  their  market-price. 

On  landing  at  the  wharf  in  Liverpool  the  Indians  re 
cognised  the  spot  where  they  first  set  their  feet  upon  English 
soil,  and  they  raised  the  yell  (not  unlike  the  war-whoop) 
which  is  given  by  war-parties  when,  returning  from  battle, 
they  are  able  to  see  their  own  village.  This  gathered  a 
great  crowd  in  a  few  moments,  that  was  exceedingly  diffi 
cult  to  disperse,  and  it  instilled  new  ambition  and  strength 
into  the  poor  Roman  Nose,  who  thought  in  his  weakness  that 
they  were  near  home  ;  but  he  rallied  only  to  look  out  and 
realize  that  he  was  too  far  from  his  home  ever  to  see  it 
again. 

Lodgings  had  been  prepared  for  them,  to  which  they 
immediately  repaired  ;  and,  as  their  sinking  companion  was 
so  rapidly  declining,  they  were  all  in  sadness,  though  they 
tried,  poor  fellows,  to  be  gay  and  cheerful.  Their  exhibi 
tions  had  been  advertised  to  commence,  and  they  proceeded 
with  them.  Before  they  commenced,  however,  a  feast  was 
made  to  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  having  conducted  them 
quite  around  England  to  the  place  from  whence  they 
started,  and  also  for  the  benefit  of  the  health  of  their  fellow- 
warrior,  the  Roman  Nose. 

A  council  was  also  held,  when  Mr.  Melody  and  I  were 
called  in,  and  by  some  it  was  proposed  to  start  for  home, 
and  by  others  to  go  to  Paris  and  see  a  King,  as  they  had 
tried,  but  in  vain,  to  see  the  Queen  of  England.  A  visit 
to  Paris  had  been  a  favourite  theme  with  them  for  some 
months  past,  and  all  at  length  joined  in  the  wish  to  see  the 
King  and  Queen  of  France. 

The  most  skilful  physicians  were  called  to  attend  the  poor 
Roman  Nose,  and  they  advised  us  to  place  him  in  an  hospital. 
He  was  consulted.,  and,  wishing  to  go,  was  removed  there, 
where  the  interpreter,  Jeffrey,  stayed,  and  every  attention 
was  paid  him.  A  few  nights  of  exhibitions  in  Liverpool 
finished  our  stay  in  that  town^  and  brought  us  to  an  engage- 


MANCHESTER— ARCHERY,  &c.  199 

mcnt  we  had  made,  for  four  nights,  in  the  Free  Trade  Hall 
in  Manchester. 

The  Indians  saw  that  their  fellow -warrior  was  to  sink  to 
the  grave  in  a  few  days,  and  yet,  like  philosophers,  they  said 
it  was  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  they  must  not  com 
plain.  They  said  they  would  give  their  exhibitions  for  the 
four  nights,  as  they  were  promised  to  the  public,  and  then 
stop  until  their  companion  was  dead  and  buried  ;  our  exhi 
bitions  were  consequently  made  to  immense  crowds  on  those 
evenings,  and  to  the  same  people  who  had  seen  the  Ojibbe- 
ways  with  such  a  relish  when  they  first  arrived.  The  dif 
ferent  appearance  of  this  tribe,  and  difference  in  their 
modes,  made  them  subjects  of  new  and  fresh  interest,  and 
no  doubt  that  their  exhibitions,  if  they  had  been  continued, 
would  have  been  nightly  filled  for  a  length  of  time.  They 
here  gave  their  exhibitions  the  additional  interest  of 
erecting  three  wigwams  into  a  sort  of  Indian  village  on  the 
immense  platform,  and  stationed  their  targets  at  the  two 
ends,  giving  a  fair  illustration  of  their  skill  in  archery,  as 
they  shot  for  prizes  across  the  breadth  of  the  immense  hall. 

Their  exhibitions  gained  them  much  applause  here,  as 
in  other  places,  with  which  they  were  well  pleased,  and 
they  had  many  invitations  from  kind  families  in  town,  but 
which  they  declined,  as  they  said  they  were  sad,  as  one 
of  their  number  was  dying.  Thus  their  amusements  in 
Manchester,  and  for  the  kingdom,  were  finished,  and  they 
retired  to  their  private  apartments,  awaiting  the  end  of  the 
poor  Roman  Nose,  which  was  now  daily  expected.  Mr. 
Melody  and  Jeffrey  stayed  by  him,  and  I  went  to  see  him, 
and  so  did  several  of  the  Indians,  on  each  day  until  his 
death. 

While  the  Indians  were  thus  resting  in  their  quarters, 
they  were  surprised  and  cheered  by  the  sudden  arrival  of 
their  old  friend,  Bobasheela,  who  had  just  come  from  Corn 
wall  to  see  them  again  before  their  departure  for  America, 
as  he  supposed,  from  seeing  by  the  papers  that  they  had 
arrived  in  Liverpool. 


200  BOBASHEELA  AGAIN. 

They  thus  amused  themselves  from  day  to  day,  lying  still, 
not  wishing  to  ride  about,,  or  to  admit  company,  or  to  attend 
to  the  invitations  from  various  quarters  given  to  them. 
Their  time  was  now  chiefly  taken  up  in  repairing  their 
dresses,  &c.,  in  anticipation  of  going  before  the  King  of 
France,  and  listening  to  the  amusing  and  shocking  things 
which  Daniel  was  daily  reading  in  Jim's  newspaper,  and 
minuting  down  in  his  note-book,  as  he  required.  He 
wished  Daniel  and  his  friend  Bobasheela  to  find  in  his  paper, 
if  they  could,  how  many  churches  there  were  in  England, 
and  how  many  black-coats  (as  he  called  them)  there  were 
who  were  constantly  reading  the  good  book  and  preaching 
to  them.  This  they  could  not  do  at  the  moment,  but 
Bobasheela  told  him  he  could  get  it  all  out  of  a  book  that 
had  lately  been  published,  and  would  give  it  to  him  the 
next  day.  This  was  done  according  to  promise,  and  by 
Daniel  recorded  in  his  book. 

Bobasheela  s  anxieties  were  now  turned  towards  the  poor 
suffering  Roman  Nose,  and  he  went  to  Liverpool  to  see  him. 
and  arrived  with  some  of  the  Indians  just  in  time  to  see 
him  breathe  his  last.  Alas!  poor,  fine  fellow!  he  went 
down  gradually  and  regularly  to  the  grave  ;  and  though 
amongst  strangers  and  far  away  from  all  of  the  graves  of 
his  relatives,  he  died  like  a  philosopher,  and  (though  not  a 
Christian)  not  unlike  a  Christian.  He  said  repeatedly  to 
Jeffrey  that  he  should  live  but  so  many  days,  and  after 
wards  so  many  hours,  and  seemed  to  be  perfectly  resigned 
to  the  change  that  was  to  take  place.  He  said  that  his 
time  had  come ;  he  was  going  to  the  beautiful  hunting- 
grounds,  where  he  would  soon  see  his  friends  who  had  gone 
before  him :  he  said  that  when  he  shut  his  eyes  he  could 
plainly  see  them,  and  he  felt  sure  it  was  only  to  change  the 
society  of  his  friends  here  for  that  of  his  dear  parents  and 
other  friends,  and  he  was  now  anxious  to  be  with  them. 
He  said  the  road  might  be  long,  but  it  did  not  matter 
where  he  started  from  ;  the  Great  Spirit  had  promised  him 
strength  to  reach  it.  He  told  his  friend  Bobasheela  that  in 


DEATH  OF  THE  ROMAN  NOSE.  201 

his  pouch  he  would  find  some  money,  with  which  he  wished 
him  to  buy  some  of  the  best  vermilion,  and,  if  possible,  some 
green  paint,  such  as  Chippehola  used  to  get  for  him  in 
London,  and  have  them  put  in  his  pouch  with  his  flint  and 
steel,  and  to  be  sure  to  be  placed  in  his  grave,  that  he 
might  be  able  to  make  his  face  look  well  among  his  friends 
where  he  was  going.  He  wished  him,  and  Daniel  also,  to 
have  his  arrows  examined  in  his  quiver,  and  repaired  with 
new  and  sharp  blades,  as  he  recollected  that,  before  he  was 
sick,  many  of  them  wrere  injured  by  shooting  at  the  target, 
and  during  his  illness  others  might  have  been  destroyed. 
He  had  requested  his  silver  medal,  which  was  given  to  him 
by  the  American  government  for  saving  the  lives  of  ten  of 
his  defenceless  enemies,  to  be  suspended  by  a  blue  ribbon 
over  his  head  while  he  was  sick,  that  he  might  see  it  until 
he  died,  and  in  that  position  it  hung  when  I  was  last  with 
him — his  eyes  were  upon  it,  and  his  smile,  until  he  drew 
his  last  breath.  After  his  death  his  friend  Bobaslieela,  and 
Jeffrey  and  the  Doctor,  laid  him  in  his  coffin,  and,  placing  in 
it,  according  to  the  Indian  mode,  his  faithful  bow  and 
quiver  of  arrows,  his  pipe  and  tobacco  to  last  him  through 
the  "journey  he  was  to  perform,"  having  dressed  him  in  all 
his  finest  clothes,  and  painted  his  face,  and  placed  his  bow 
and  quiver  and  his  pouch  by  his  side,  and  his  medal  on  his 
breast,  the  coffin  was  closed,,  and  his  remains  were  buried, 
attended  by  his  faithful  friends  around  him,  by  the  officers 
of  the  institution,  and  many  citizens,  who  sympathized  in 
his  unlucky  fate. 

Thus  ended  the  career  of  No-ho-mun-ya  (or  the  Roman 
Nose),  one  of  the  most  peaceable  and  well-disposed  and 
finest  men  of  the  party,  or  of  the  tribe  from  which  he  came. 

The  reader  will  now  contemplate  the  Indians  and  their 
friend  Bobasheela  again  in  their  private  rooms  in  Manchester, 
spending  a  week  or  so  together,  smoking  their  pipes,  with 
their  faces  painted  black,  recounting  the  deeds  of  the 
vanished  warrior,  and  recapitulating  the  events  of  their 
tour  through  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  and  trying  to 


202  PREPARE  TO  LEAVE  ENGLAND. 

cheer  the  view  that  was  ahead  of  them  by  drinking  chick- 
abolboo.  These  few  days  passed  heavily  by,  and  they  soon 
became  anxious  to  throw  oif  the  gloom  that  was  cast  over 
them,  by  seeing  something  new,  and  by  resuming  the  exer 
cise  and  excitements  of  the  dance.  Their  thoughts  were 
now  on  Paris,  and  I  was  there  making  arrangements  for 
their  reception.  The  reader  will  therefore,  with  my  help, 
imagine  himself  across  the  Channel  (and  probably  for  the  first 
time  in  his  life  without  being  sea-sick),  and  ready  to  com 
mence,  with  the  Indians  and  me,  amidst  new  scenes  and  new 
scenery,  the  following  chapter. 


(    203    ) 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  Author  arrives  in  Paris — Victoria  Hotel — Mr.  Melody  and  his  Indians 
arrive — Doctor  missing,  and  found  on  the  top  of  the  hotel — Alarm  of 
servants — First  drive  in  Paris — Visit  to  Mr.  King,  the  American  ambas 
sador — French  chickabobboo — M.  Vattemare — Indians  visit  the  Hotel  de 
Ville — Prefet  de  police — Magnificent  salons — The  "  big  looking-glasses" 
— The  Prefet's  lady — Refreshments  and  chickabobboo — Speech  of  the 
War-chief — Reply  of  the  Prefet — Salle  Valentino  taken  for  the  exhi 
bition — Daniel  arrives  with  the  Collection  from  London — Indians  visit 
the  King  in  the  palace  of  the  Tuileries — Royal  personages — Conversa 
tion — War-chief  presents  the  calumet — His  speech  to  the  King — Eagle- 
dance — War-dance — Little  Wolf  presents  his  tomahawk  and  whip  to 
the  King — His  speech — Refreshments  and  "  Queen's  chickabobboo" — 
Drinking  the  King's  and  Queen's  health,  and  health  of  the  Count  do 
Paris — "  Vive  le  Roi" — Jim's  opinion  of  the  King — An  Indian's  idea 
of  descents — Presents  in  money  from  the  King — Mode  of  dividing  it — 
A  drive — Ladies  leading  dogs  with  strings — The  number  counted  in  one 
drive — The  Indians'  surprise — An  entry  for  Jim's  book — Jim  laments 
the  loss  of  the  Times  newspaper  and  Punch — He  takes  Galignani's  Mes 
senger — Indians  dine  at  W.  Costar's — The  Doctor's  compliment  to  a 
lady's  fine  voice — Indians  visit  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences— Curious 
reception — M.  Arago — Indians'  suspicions  and  alarms — Jim's  remark 
able  speech—Opening  of  the  exhibition  in  Salle  Valentino — Great  excite 
ment—Speech  of  the  War-chief— Shaking  hands— Public  opinion  of  the 
Author's  Collection. 

HAVING  long  before  resolved  to  take  my  collection  to  Paris 
before  returning  it  to  my  own  country,  and  the  Indians 
being  ambitious  to  see  the  King  of  the  French,  it  was  mu 
tually  agreed  that  my  whole  collection  should  be  opened  in 
Paris,  and  that  their  dances  and  other  amusements  should 
for  a  short  time  be  given  in  it,  as  they  had  been  given  in 
London. 

Under  this  arrangement,  with  my  wife  and  my  four  dear 
little   children,   I  repaired  to  Paris    as   soon    as   possible, 


204  THE  AUTHOR'S  NOTE-BOOK. 

leaving  Daniel  to  ship  over  and  accompany  my  collection, 
whilst  Mr.  Melody  conducted  his  party  of  Indians. 

In  crossing  the  Channel,  and  receding  from  its  shores,  as 
I  was  seated  on  the  deck  of  a  steamer,  I  looked  back,  and, 
having  for  the  first  time  nothing  else  to  do,  and  a  little 
time  to  reflect  upon  England,  and  what  I  had  seen  of  it  in 
five  years,  I  took  out  of  my  pocket  my  little  note -book, 
where  I  had  entered,  not  what  England  is,  and  what  she 
does  (and  which  all  the  world  knows),  but  the  points  in 
which  her  modes  are  different  from  those  in  my  own  country. 
I  would  have  a  few  leisure  hours  to  run  over  these  curious 
entries,  and  time  to  reflect  upon  them,  as  we  sailed  along, 
and  I  began  to  read  thus  : — 

11  London,  1844.     The  essential  Differences  between  England  and 
the  United  States. 

"  The  United  States  much  the  largest;  but  England  is  a  great  deal 
older. 

"  New-Yorkers  cross  the  streets  diagonally ;  the  Londoners  cross  them 
at  right  angles. 

"  In  England  the  odd  pennies  are  wrapped  in  a  paper,  and  handed  back 
with  '  I  thank  you,  Sir.' 

"  Streets  in  London  have  tops  and  bottoms  ;  in  America  they  have 
upper  and  lower  ends. 

"  In  England  a  man's  wife  is  '  very  bad ;'  in  America,  '  very  ill ;'  and  in 
France,  'bien  malade.' 

"  Americans  '  turn  to  the  right  as  the  law  directs ;'  the  English  turn  to 
the  left. 

"  English  mutton  and  babies  are  much  the  fattest. 

"  Gooseberries  in  England  much  the  largest,  but  not  so  sweet. 

"  Pigs  in  the  American  cities  are  seen  promenading  in  the  streets;  in 
London,  only  seen  hanging  by  their  hind  legs. 

"  In  England  men  are  'knocked  up;'  in  America  they  are  'knocked 
down.' 

"  *  Top-coats'  are  very  frequent  in  England,  in  America  nothing  is 
known  higher  than  an  '  over-coat.' 

11  In  the  United  States  a  man  is  '  smart ;'  in  England  he  is  '  clever.' 

"  English  ladies  are  more  luscious,  but  not  quite  so  — 

Just  when  I  had  read  thus  far,  the  steward  tapped  me 
on  the  shoulder  and  told  me  that  "  I  was  wanted  below 
immediately,  for  my  lady  was  very  ill."  I  closed  my  book 


INDIANS  ARRIVE  IN  PARIS.  205 

and  ran  below,  where  I  found  my  poor  wife  and  little  family 
all  dreadfully  sick.  I  waited  on  them  a  while  and  got  sea 
sick  myself.  My  musings  on  England  and  America  were 
thus  broken  off;  and  from  the  time  that  we  launched  forth 
amidst  the  clatter  upon  a  French  wharf,  I  had  as  much 
as  I  could  do  to  keep  my  little  children  and  my  luggage 
together,  and  all  recollections  of  England  and  my  native 
country  vanished  in  the  confusion  and  din  that  was  around 
me  in  the  new  world  we  were  entering  upon.  Custom 
houses  and  railways  and  diligences  have  been  a  thousand 
times  described,  and  I  need  say  nothing  of  them,  except 
that  we  got  through  them  all,  and  into  the  Victoria  Hotel,  in 
Paris,  where  we  found  rest,  fine  beds,  kind  attentions,  and 
enough  to  eat. 

A  few  days  after  my  arrival  in  Paris,  Mr.  Melody  made 
his  appearance  with  his  party  of  loways,  for  whom  apart 
ments  were  prepared  in  the  same  hotel,  and  after  much 
fatigue  and  vexation  the  immense  hall  in  Rue  St.  Honore 
(Salle  Valentino)  was  engaged  as  the  place  for  their  future 
operations.  Daniel  in  the  mean  time  was  moving  up  with 
the  Indian  collection  of  eight  tons  weight,  and  in  a  few 
days  all  parties  were  on  the  ground,  though  there  was  to  be 
some  delay  in  arranging  the  numerous  collection,  and  in 
getting  the  Indians  introduced  to  the  King,  which  was  the 
first  object.  They  had  entered  the  city  at  a  late  hour  at 
night,  and  for  several  days  it  had  been  impossible  to  attend 
to  the  necessary  arrangements  for  driving  them  about ;  and 
they  became  excessively  impatient  to  be  on  wheels  again,  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  the  strange  and  beautiful  things  which 
they  knew  were  about  them.  In  the  mean  time  they  were 
taking  all  the  amusement  to  themselves  that  they  could 
get,  by  looking  out  of  the  windows;  and  their  red  and 
crested  heads  in  Paris  soon  drew  a  crowd  together  in 
the  streets,  and  thousands  of  heads  protruding  from  the 
windows  and  house-tops.  The  Doctor  soon  found  his  way 
to  the  roof,  and  from  that  regaled  his  eyes,  at  an  early 
hour,  with  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  boundless  mystery  and 


206  VISIT  TO  THE  AMERICAN  MINISTER. 

confusion  of  chimneys  and  house-tops  and  domes  and  spires 
that  were  around  him. 

The  servants  in  the  house  were  at  first  alarmed,  and  the 
good  landlady  smiled  at  their  unexpected  appearance  ;  and 
she  roared  with  laughter  when  she  was  informed  that  the 
beds  were  all  to  be  removed  from  their  rooms,  that  they 
spread  their  own  robes,  and,  in  preference,  slept  upon  the 
floor.  All  in  the  house,  however,  got  attached  to  them  in  a 
few  days,  and  all  went  pleasantly  on. 

The  first  airing  they  took  in  Paris  was  in  an  omnibus 
with  four,  as  they  had  been  driven  in  London ;  but,  to  the 
old  Doctor's  exceeding  chagrin,  there  was  no  seat  for  him  to 
take  outside  by  the  side  of  the  driver.  He  was  easily  recon 
ciled  however  to  his  seat  with  the  rest,  and  they  thus  soon 
had  a  glance  at  a  number  of  the  principal  streets  of  the  city, 
and  were  landed  at  the  American  Embassy,  to  pay  their  first 
respects  to  Mr.  King,  at  that  time  the  minister  to  France. 
They  were  received  by  Mr.  King  and  his  niece  with  great 
kindness  ;  and  after  a  little  conversation,  through  the  in 
terpreter,  Mr.  King  invited  them  to  the  table,  loaded  with 
cakes  and  fruit,  and  offered  them  a  glass  of  wine,  proposing 
their  health,  and  at  the  same  time  telling  them  that,  though 
he  was  opposed  to  encouraging  Indians  to  drink,  yet  he  was 
quite  sure  that  a  glass  or  two  of  the  vin  rouge  of  the  French 
would  not  hurt  them.  The  colour  of  it  seemed  to  cause 
them  to  hesitate  a  moment,  while  they  were  casting  their 
eyes  around  upon  me.  They  understood  the  nod  of  my 
head,  and,  hearing  me  pronounce  it  chickabobboo,  took  the 
hint  and  drank  it  off  with  great  pleasure.  Mr.  Melody 
here  assured  Mr.  King  of  the  temperate  habits  of  these 
people ;  and  I  explained  to  the  party  the  origin  and 
meaning  of  chickabobboo,  which  pleased  them  all  very  much. 
They  partook  of  a  second  glass,  and  also  of  the  cakes  and 
fruit,  and  took  leave,  the  War-chief  having  thanked  Mr. 
King  and  his  niece  for  their  kindness,  and  having  expressed 
his  great  pleasure  at  meeting  so  kind  an  American  gentle 
man  so  far  from  home. 


THE  HOTEL  DE  VILLE.  207 

The  Indians  were  now  in  their  omnibus  again,  and  Mr. 
Melody  and  myself  in  our  carriage,  with  a  kind  friend, 
Mons.  A.  Vattemare,  who  had  obtained  for  the  Indians  an 
invitation  to  visit  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  where  we  were  now  to 
drive.  In'  this  drive  from  St.  Germain  we  recrossed  the 
Seine  by  Pont  Neuf,  and  had  a  fine  view  of  all  the  bridges, 
and  the  palace  of  the  Tuileries,  and  the  Louvre.  The 
omnibus  stopped  a  moment  on  the  middle  of  the  bridge,  and 
they  were  much  excited  by  the  view.  A  few  minutes  more 
brought  us  in  front  of  the  Hotel  de  Ville,  where  several 
thousands  of  people  were  assembled ;  it  having  been  heard 
in  the  streets,  in  all  probability,  from  the  servants  or  police, 
that  a  party  of  savages  were  to  be  there  at  that  hour. 

There  was  a  great  outcry  when  they  landed  and  entered 
the  hall,  and  the  crowd  was  sure  not  to  diminish  whilst  they 
were  within. 

We  were  all  presented  to  His  Excellency  the  Prcfet  de 
Police  by  my  friend  Mons.  Vattemare,  and  received  with 
great  kindness,  and  conducted  through  all  the  principal 
apartments  of  that  noble  edifice,  which  are  finished  and  fur 
nished  in  the  most  sumptuous  style,  and  in  richness  of  effect 
surpassing  even  the  most  splendid  halls  of  the  palaces  of  the 
Tuileries  or  St.  Cloud.  The  gorgeousness  of  the  carpets 
on  which  they  stood,  and  the  tapestry  that  was  around  them, 
and  the  incredible  size  of  the  mirrors  that  were  reflecting 
them  in  a  hundred  directions,  were  subjects  till  then  entirely 
new  to  them ;  and  they  seemed  completely  amazed  at  the 
splendour  with  which  they  were  surrounded.  From  these 
splendid  salons  we  were  conducted  into  the  salle  a  manger, 
and  opportunely  where  the  table  was  spread  and  the  plates 
laid  for  a  grand  banquet.  This  was  a  lucky  occurrence, 
affording  us,  as  well  as  the  Indians,  an  opportunity  of  see 
ing  the  richness  of  the  plate  upon  which  those  elegant  affairs 
are  served  up,  and  which  but  a  choice  few  can  ever  behold. 

Retiring  from  and  through  this  suite  of  splendid  salons, 
we  entered  an  antechamber,  where  we  were  presented  to 
the  elegant  lady  of  the  Prcfet  and  several  of  their  friends, 


208  THE  WAR-CHIEFS  SPEECH. 

who  brought  us  to  a  table  loaded  with  fruit  and  cakes  and 
other  refreshments,  and  wine  of  several  sorts  and  the  best 
in  quality.  The  corks  of  several  bottles  of  champagne 
were  drawn,  and,  as  the  sparkling  wine  was  running,  each 
one  smiled  as  he  whispered  the  word  chichabobboo .  The 
Prefet  drank  their  health  in  a  glass  of  the  "  Queens  chick- 
abobboo"  as  they  called  it,  and  then,  with  his  own  hand, 
presented  each  a  handsome  silver  medal,  and  also  one  to 
Mr.  Melody  and  myself. 

The  War-chief  by  this  time  felt  called  upon  for  some 
acknowledgment  on  their  part  for  this  kind  treatment,  and, 
advancing  to  the  Prefet,  shook  hands  with  him,  and  addressed 
him  thus : — 

"  My  friend  and  father,  your  kindness  to  us  this  day  makes  our  hearts 
glad,  and  we  thank  you  for  it.  We  are  strangers  here,  and  poor  ignorant 
children  from  the  wilderness.  We  came  here  with  heavy  hearts,  having  just 
buried  one  of  our  warriors,  and  your  kindness  has  driven  away  our  sorrow. 
(<  How,  how,  how  /') 

"  My  father,  the  splendour  of  the  rooms,  and  other  things  you  have  just 
shown  us,  blind  our  eyes  with  their  brightness,  and  we  now  see  that  white 
men  can  do  anything. 

"  My  father,  we  were  astonished  at  what  we  saw  in  London,  where  we 
have  been,  but  we  think  your  village  is  much  the  most  beautiful.  We 
thank  the  Great  Spirit,  who  has  opened  your  great  house  to  us  to-day,  and 
also  your  lady,  who  has  been  kind  to  us. 

"  My  father,  I  have  done." 

At  the  close  of  his  speech  the  Prefet  assured  him  of  his 
kindly  feelings  towards  them,  and  his  anxiety  for  their  wel 
fare  ;  and  after  a  general  shake  of  hands  we  took  leave^  and 
descended  to  the  street,  and,  passing  through  a  dense  crowd, 
took  our  carriages  and  drove  back  to  our  hotel.  Thus 
ended  their  first  day's  drive  and  visits  in  Paris,  furnishing 
them  with  a  rich  fund  for  a  talk  after  their  dinner  and 
chichabobboo,  which  was  to  be  vin  rouge  in  Paris,  instead  of 
ale,  which  they  had  been  in  the  habit  of  drinking  in  England. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  exhilarated  flow  of  spirits  in 
which  they  returned,  and  the  admiration  they  were  express 
ing  of  the  beauty  of  the  city,  and  the  splendour  of  the 


INDIANS'  ADMIRATION  OF  PARIS.  209 

rooms  they  had  been  in.  They  were  decided  that  they 
should  be  pleased  with  Paris;  and  as  Palaces,  Kings,  and 
Queens  were  yet  before  them,  they  seemed  to  be  perfectly 
happy.  During  their  curious  remarks  on  what  they  had 
seen,  they  already  were  saying  that  they  had  seen  many 
thousands  of  people,  and  were  glad  that  they  saw  nobody 
in  rags  or  begging.  They  thought  the  French  people  all 
had  enough  to  eat,  and  that,  they  said,  was  a  great  pleasure 
to  them  ;  for  it  made  their  hearts  sore,  when  riding  out,  if 
they  saw  poor  people,  who  had  nothing  to  eat,  as  they  had 
seen  in  some  places. 

The  Indians  decided  that  the  houses  of  Paris  were  much 
more  beautiful  than  they  had  seen  in  any  place ;  and  they 
thought,  from  their  cheerful  looks,  that  cither  the  people 
had  their  debts  more  paid  up  than  the  English  people,  or 
else  that  they  had  not  so  much  money  as  to  distress  their 
looks  for  fear  of  losing  it.  We  were  all  pleased  with  the 
appearance  of  Paris,  and  compelled  to  feel  cheerful  from 
the  buoyant  feelings  that  were  displayed  all  around  us. 
Like  the  Indians,  I  was  pleased  with  the  neat  and  cleanly 
appearance  of  the  poorest  in  the  streets,  and  surprised  at 
the  beauty  and  elegance  of  their  houses,  which  want,  in  my 
estimation,  but  one  more  embellishment,  which  it  would  be 
quite  easy  to  give,  to  render  the  effect  of  their  streets  more 
beautiful  than  words  can  describe.  That  would  be,  to  paint 
their  window-blinds  green,  which,  by  contrast,  would  make 
the  walls  appear  more  white  and  clean,  and  break  with 
pleasing  variety  the  white  monotony  that  now  prevails 
throughout. 

This  first  day's  drive  about  the  city  had  created  a  pro 
digious  excitement  and  curiosity  where  they  had  gone,  and 
given  to  the  Indians  just  peep  enough,  amidst  the  beauties 
of  Paris,  to  create  a  restlessness  on  both  sides  for  a  more 
familiar  acquaintance,  and  which  it  had  been  thought  most 
prudent  to  defer  until  they  had  made  their  visit  to  the 
Palace,  for  which  their  application  had  been  made  to  the 
King  by  the  American  minister,  and  to  which  we  were  daily 

VOL.  II.  P 


210  THE  KING'S  INVITATION. 

expecting  a  reply.  In  the  mean  time,  Mr.  Melody,  and 
Jeffrey,  and  the  Indians  kept  quiet,  entertaining  an  occa 
sional  party  of  some  American  friends,  or  distinguished 
personages,  who  were  sending  in  their  cards,  and  seeking 
interviews  with  them.  During  all  this  delay  they  had 
enough  to  amuse  them,  by  talking  of  what  they  had  already 
seen,  and  what  they  expected  they  were  going  to  see,  and 
cleaning  and  preparing  their  dresses  for  the  great  occasion. 
I,  in  the  mean  time,  with  my  man  Daniel,  and  others,  was 
arranging  my  collection  on  the  walls  of  the  Salle  Valentino;  and, 
by  the  kind  and  friendly  aid  of  Mons.  Vattemare,  obtaining 
my  licence  from  the  authorities,  and  also  conforming  to  the 
other  numerous  and  vexatious  forms  and  ceremonies  to  be 
gone  through  before  the  opening  of  my  exhibition  to  public 
view. 

The  Minister  of  the  Interior  had  kindly  granted  an  order 
for  the  admission  of  my  whole  collection  into  the  kingdom, 
by  my  paying  merely  a  nominal  duty,  but  there  were  still 
forms  and  delays  to  submit  to  in  the  customs,  which  were 
tedious  and  vexatious,  but  by  the  aid  of  my  above-mentioned 
good  friend,  they  had  all  been  overcome ;  and  my  collection 
was  now  nearly  ready  for  the  public  examination,  when  I 
received  a  letter  from  the  American  minister,  informing  me, 
that  "  on  a  certain  day,  and  at  a  certain  hour,  His  Majesty 
would  see  Mr.  Catlin  and  Mr.  Melody,  with  the  loway 
Indians,  in  the  Palace  of  the  Tuileries."  There  was  great 
rejoicing  amongst  the  good  fellows  when  they  heard  this 
welcome  letter  read,  and  several  of  them  embraced  me  in 
their  arms,  as  if  I  had  been  the  sole  cause  of  it.  Their 
doubts  were  now  at  an  end :  it  was  certain  that  they  should 
see  the  King  of  France,  which,  they  said, <f  would  be  far  more 
satisfactory,  and  a  greater  honour,  than  to  have  seen  the 
Queen  of  England."  Whatever  the  poor  fellows  thought, 
such  was  their  mode  of  exultation.  "  The  Ojibbeways,"  they 
said,  "were  subjects  of  the  Queen,  but  we  will  be  subjects  of 
Louis  Philippe." 

They  had  yet  a  few  days  to  prepare,  and  even  without 


RECEPTION  AT  THE  TUILERIES.  211 

their  drives  or  company  they  were  contented,  as  the  time 
passed  away,  and  they  were  preparing  for  the  interview. 
On  the  morning  of  the  day  for  their  reception,  the  long 
stem  of  a  beautiful  pipe  had  been  painted  a  bright  blue, 
and  ornamented  with  blue  ribbons,  emblematical  of  peace, 
to  be  presented  by  the  chief  to  the  King.  Every  article  of 
dress  and  ornament  had  been  put  in  readiness ;  and,  as  the 
hour  approached,  each  one  came  out  from  his  toilet,  in  a 
full  blaze  of  colour  of  various  tints,  all  with  their  wampum 
and  medals  on,  with  their  necklaces  of  grizly  bears'  claws, 
their  shields,  and  bows,  and  quivers,  their  lances,  and  war 
clubs,  and  tomahawks,  and  scalping  knives.  In  this  way, 
in  full  dress,  with  their  painted  buffalo  robes  wrapped 
around  them,  they  stepped  into  the  several  carriages 
prepared  for  them,  and  all  were  wheeled  into  the  Place 
Carousel,  and  put  down  at  the  entrance  to  the  Palace.  We 
were  met  on  the  steps  by  half  a  dozen  huge  and  splendid 
looking  porters,  in  naming  scarlet  livery  and  powdered  wigs, 
who  conducted  us  in,  and  being  met  by  one  of  the  King's 
aides-de-camp,  we  were  conducted  by  him  into  His  Majesty's 
presence,  in  the  reception  hall  of  the  Tuileries. 

The  royal  party  were  advancing  towards  us  in  the  hall, 
and  as  we  met  them,  Mr.  Melody  and  myself  were  presented  ; 
and  I  then  introduced  the  party,  each  one  in  person,  accord 
ing  to  his  rank  or  standing,  as  the  King  desired.  A  sort 
of  conversazione  took  place  there,  which  lasted  for  half  an 
hour  or  more,  in  which  I  was  called  upon  to  explain  their 
weapons,  costumes,  &c.,  and  which  seemed  to  afford  great 
amusement  to  the  royal  personages  assembled  around  and 
amongst  us,  who  were — their  Majesties  the  King  and 
the  Queen,  the  Duchess  of  Orleans  and  Count  de  Paris,  the 
P?*incess  Adelaide,  the  Prince  and  Princess  de  Joinville,  the 
Duke  and  Duchess  d'Aumale,  and  his  Royal  Highness  the  Duke 
de  Brabant. 

His  Majesty  in  the  most  free  and  familiar  manner  (which 
showed  that  he  had  been  accustomed  to  the  modes  and  feel 
ings  of  Indians)  conversed  with  the  chiefs,  and  said  to  Jeffrey, 

p  2 


212  WAR-CHIEF  PRESENTS  THE  CALUMET. 

"  Tell  these  good  fellows  that  T  am  glad  to  see  them  ;  that  I 
have  been  in  many  of  the  wigwams  of  the  Indians  in  Ame 
rica  when  I  was  a  young  man,  and  they  treated  me  every 
where  kindly,  and  I  love  them  for  it. — Tell  them  I  was 
amongst  the  Senecas  near  Buffalo,  and  the  Oneidas — that  I 
slept  in  the  wigwams  of  the  chiefs — that  I  was  amongst  the 
Shawnees  and  Delawares  on  the  Ohio  ;  and  also  amongst  the 
Cherokees  and  Creeks  in  Georgia  and  Tennessee,  and  saw 
many  other  tribes  as  I  descended  the  Ohio  river  the 
whole  length,  and  also  the  Mississippi  to  New  Orleans,  in  a 
small  boat,  more  than  fifty  years  ago."  This  made  the 
Indians  stare,  and  the  women,  by  a  custom  of  their  country, 
placed  their  hands  over  their  mouths,  as  they  issued  groans 
of  surprise. 

"  Tell  them  also,  Jeffrey,  that  I  am  pleased  to  see  their 
wives  and  little  children  they  have  with  them  here,  and  glad 
also  to  show  them  my  family,,  who  are  now  nearly  all  around 
me.  Tell  them,  Jeffrey,  that  this  is  the  Queen ;  this  lady  is 
my  sister ;  these  are  two  of  my  sons,  with  their  wives ;  and 
these  little  lads  [the  Count  de  Paris  and  the  Due  de  Brabant] 
are  my  grandsons ;  this  one,  if  he  lives,  will  be  King  of  the 
Belgians,  and  that  one  King  of  the  French." 

The  King  then  took  from  his  pocket  two  large  gold 
medals  with  his  own  portrait  in  relief  on  one  side  of 
them,  and  told  me  he  wished  to  present  them  to  the  two 
chiefs  with  his  own  hand,  and  wished  Jeffrey  to  explain  to 
them,  that  after  presenting  them  in  that  way,  he  wished 
them  to  hand  them  back  to  him  that  he  might  have  a  proper 
inscription  engraved  on  them,  when  he  would  return 
them,  and  silver  medals  of  equal  size  to  each  of  the  others, 
with  their  names  engraved  upon  them.  After  the  medals 
were  thus  presented  and  returned,  the  War-chief  took  out 
from  under  his  robe  the  beautiful  pipe  which  he  had  pre 
pared,  and  advancing  towards  the  King,  and  holding  it  with 
both  hands,  bent  forward  and  laid  -it  down  at  his  Majesty's 
feet  as  a  present.  Having  done  so  he  reached  down,  and 
taking  it  up,  placed  it  in  his  Majesty's  hand  (Plate  No.  15), 


WAR-CHIEF'S  SPEECH.  213 

and   then,  assuming  Jiis  proud  attitude  of  the  orator,  ad 
dressed  their  Majesties  in  these  words  : — 

"  Great  Father  and  Great  Mother,- — the  Great  Spirit,  to  whom  we  have 
a  long  time  prayed  for  an  interview  with  you,  kindly  listens  to  our  words 
to-day  and  hears  what  we  say.  Great  Father,  you  have  made  to  us  to-day 
rich  presents,  and  I  rise  to  return  thanks  to  you  for  the  chief  and  his 
warriors  and  braves  who  are  present ;  but,  before  all,  it  is  necessary  that  we 
should  thank  the  Great  Spirit  who  has  inspired  your  heart  and  your  hand 
thus  to  honour  us  this  day. 

"  Great  Father,  we  shall  bear  these  presents  to  our  country  and  instruct 
our  children  to  pronounce  the  name  of  him  who  gave  them. 

u  Great  Father,  when  the  Indians  have  anything  to  say  to  a  great  chief, 
they  are  in  the  habit  of  making  some  present  before  they  begin.  My  chief 
has  ordered  me  to  place  in  your  hands  this  pipe  and  these  strings  of  wampum 
as  a  testimony  of  the  pleasure  we  have  felt  in  being  admitted  this  day  into 
the  presence  of  your  Majesty. 

"  My  Great  Father  and  my  Great  Mother,  you  see  us  this  day  as  we 
are  seen  in  our  country  with  our  red  skins  and  our  coarse  clothes.  This 
day  for  you  is  like  all  other  days  ;  for  us  it  is  a  great  day — so  great  a  day 
that  our  eyes  are  blinded  with  the  lustre  of  it. 

"  Great  Father,  the  chief,  myself,  and  our  warriors  have  for  a  long  time 
had  the  desire  to  come  and  see  the  French  people,  and  our  Great  Father 
the  President  of  the  United  States  has  given  us  permission  to  cross  the 
Great  Lake.  We  desired  to  see  the  Great  Chief  of  this  country,  and  we 
now  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  having  allowed  us  to  shake  the  hand  of  the 
Great  Chief  in  his  own  wigwam. 

"  Great  Father,  we  are  happy  to  tell  you  that  when  we  arrived  in  Eng 
land,  we  had  much  joy  in  meeting  our  old  friend  Mr.  Catlin,  who  has 
lived  amongst  us  and  whom  we  are  happy  to  have  here,  as  he  can  tell  you 
who  we  are. 

"  Great  Father  and  Great  Mother,  we  will  pray  to  the  Great  Spirit  to 
preserve  your  precious  lives  ;  we  will  pray  also  that  we  may  return  safe  to 
our  own  village,  that  we  may  tell  to  our  children  and  to  our  young  men 
what  we  have  seen  this  day, 

"  My  Parents,  I  have  no  more  to  say." 

When  the  War-chief  had  finished  his  speech,  the  King 
told  Jeffrey  to  say  that  he  felt  very  great  pleasure  in  having 
seen  them,  and  he  hoped  that  the  Great  Spirit  would  guide 
them  safe  home  to  their  country,,  to  their  wives  and  little 
children. 

The  King  and  Royal  Family  then  took  leave  ;  and  as  they 
were  departing,  some  one  of  them  being  attracted  to  the 


214  EAGLE  DANCE. 

Indian  drum  which  Jeffrey  had  brought  in  his  hand,  and 
had  left  upon  the  floor  in  another  part  of  the  room,  and 
inquiring  what  it  was,  was  told  that  it  was  their  drum 
which  they  had  brought  with  them,  supposing  it  possible 
they  might  be  called  upon  to  give  a  dance.  This  informa 
tion  overtook  the  King,  and  he  said,  "  By  all  means ;  call 
the  Queen  :"  and  in  a  few  moments  the  august  assembly 
were  all  back  to  witness  the  dance,  for  which  purpose  all 
parties  moved  to  the  Salle  du  BaL  Their  Majesties  and  the 
ladies  were  seated,  and  the  Indians  all  seating  themselves 
in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  commenced  moderately  singing 
and  beating  the  drum,  preparatory  to  the  Eagle  Dance,  in 
which  they  were  in  a  few  moments  engaged. 

During  this  novel  and  exciting  scene,  her  Majesty  desired 
me  to  stand  by  the  side  of  her  to  explain  the  meaning  of  all  its 
features,,  which  seemed  to  astonish  and  amuse  her  very  much. 
The  Doctor  led  off  first  in  the  character  (as  he  called 
it)  of  a  soaring  eagle,  sounding  his  eagle  whistle,  which  he 
carried  in  his  left  hand,  with  his  fan  of  the  eagle's  tail,, 
while  he  was  brandishing  his  lance  in  the  other. 

At  the  first  pause  he  instantly  stopped,  and,  in  the 
attitude  of  an  orator,  made  his  boast  of  an  instance  where 
he  killed  an  enemy  in  single  combat,  and  took  his  scalp. 
The  Little  Wolf,  and  Wash-ka-mon-ya,  and  others,  then 
sprang  upon  their  feet,  and  sounding  their  chattering 
whistles,*  and  brandishing  their  polished  weapons,  gave  an 
indescribable  wildness  and  spirit  to  the  scene.  When  the 
dance  was  finished,  the  Indians  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving 
their  Majesties'  applause,  by  the  violent  clapping  of  their 
hands,  and  afterwards  by  expressions  of  their  pleasure  and 
admiration,  conveyed  to  them  through  the  interpreter. 

This  was  exceedingly  gratifying  to  the  poor  fellows,  who 
were  now  seated  upon  the  floor  to  rest  a  moment  previous 
to  commencing  with  the  war-dance,  for  which  they  were 


*  An  ingenious  whistle  made  to  imitate  the  chattering  of  the  soaring 
eagle,  and  used  in  the  eagle  dance. 


LITTLE  WOLF'S  SPEECH  TO  THE  KING. 


'215 


preparing  their  weapons,  and  in  which  the  Little  Wolf  was 
to  take  the  lead.  For  this,  as  the  drum  beat,  he  threw 
aside  his  buffalo  robe  and  sprang  upon  the  floor,  brandish 
ing  his  tomahawk  and  shield,  and  sounding  the  frightful 
war-whoop,  which  called  his  warriors  up  around  him. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  thrilling  or  picturesque  than 
the  scene  at  that  moment  presented  of  this  huge  and  ter 
rible-looking  warrior,  frowning  death  and  destruction  on  his 
brow,  as  he  brandished  the  very  weapons  he  had  used  in 
deadly  combat,  and,  in  his  jumps  and  sudden  starts,  seemed 
threatening  with  instant  use  again  !  The  floors  and  ceilings 
of  the  Palace  shook  with  the  weight  of  their  steps,  and  its 
long  halls  echoed  and  vibrated  the  shrill -sounding  notes  of 
the  war-whoop.  (Plate  No.  16.) 

In  the  midst  of  this  dance,  the  Little  Wolf  suddenly 
brandished  his  tomahawk  over  the  heads  of  his  comrades, 
and,  ordering  them  to  stop,  advanced  towards  the  King,  and 
boasting  in  the  most  violent  exclamations  of  the  manner  in 
which  he  had  killed  and  scalped  a  Pawnee  warrior,  placed  in 
his  Majesty's  hands  his  tomahawk  and  the  whip  which  was 
attached  to  his  wrist,  and  then  said, — 

"  My  Great  Father,  you  have  heard  me  say  that  with  that  tomahawk  I 
have  killed  a  Pawnee  warrior,  one  of  the  enemies  of  my  tribe  ;  the  blade 
of  that  tomahawk  is  still  covered  with  his  blood,  which  you  will  see.  That 
whip  is  the  same  with  which  I  whipped  my  horse  on  that  occasion. 

"  My  Father,  since  I  have  come  into  this  country  I  have  learned  that 
peace  is  better  than  war,  and  1  '  bury  the  tomahawk '  in  your  hands — I  fight 
no  more." 

His  Majesty  deigned  graciously  to  accept  the  arms  thus 
presented,  after  having  cordially  shaken  the  hand  of  the 
loway  brave. 

Their  Majesties  and  attendants  then  withdrew,  taking 
leave  of  the  Indians  in  the  most  gracious  and  condescending 
manner,  expressing  their  thanks  for  the  amusement  they 
had  afforded  them,  and  their  anxiety  for  their  welfare, 
directing  them  to  be  shown  into  the  various  apartments  of 
the  palace,  and  then  to  be  conducted  to  a  table  of  wine  and 
other  refreshments  prepared  for  them. 


216  "VIVE  LE  ROI!"  BY  THE  INDIANS. 

We  were  now  in  charge  of  an  officer  of  the  household, 
who  politely  led  us  through  the  various  magnificent  halls  of 
the  Palace,  explaining  every  thing  as  we  passed,  and  at 
length  introduced  us  into  a  room  with  a  long  table  spread 
and  groaning  under  its  load  of  the  luxuries  of  the  season, 
and  its  abundance  of  the  "  Queen  s  chickabobboo."  These 
were  subjects  that  required  no  explanations ;  and  all  being 
seated,  each  one  evinced  his  familiarity  with  them  by  the 
readiness  with  which  he  went  to  work.  The  healths  of  the 
King  and  the  Queen  were  drank,  and  also  of  the  Count  de 
Paris,  and  the  rest  of  the  Royal  family.  The  chickabobboo 
they  pronounced  "  first-rate ;"  and  another  bottle  being 
poured  it  was  drank  off,  and  we  took  our  carriages,  and, 
after  a  drive  of  an  hour  or  so  about  the  city,  were  landed 
again  in  our  comparatively  humble,  but  very  comfortable, 
apartments. 

The  party  returning  from  the  Tuileries  found  their  dinner 
coming  up,  and  little  was  said  until  it  was  over,  and  they 
had  drank  their  chickabobboo,  and  seated  themselves  upon 
their  buffalo  robes,  which  were  spread  upon  the  floor,  and 
lighted  the  pipe.  I  have  before  said  that  the  pipe  is 
almost  indispensable  with  Indians,  where  there  is  to  be 
any  exertion  of  the  mind  in  private  conversation  or  public 
speaking,  and  that  generally  but  one  pipe  is  used,  even  in  a 
numerous  company,  each  one  drawing  a  few  whiffs  through 
it,  and  passing  it  on  into  the  hands  of  his  next  neighbour. 

In  this  manner  they  were  now  seated,  and  passing  the 
pipe  around  as  I  came  in,  and  took  a  seat  with  them. 
They  were  all  quite  merry  at  the  moment  by  trying  to 
sound  the  "  Vive  Ic  Roi  /"  which  I  had  taught  them  at  the 
King's  table  when  they  were  drinking  his  Majesty's  health. 
It  puzzled  them  very  much,  but  the  adept  Jim  took  it 
directly,  and  as  the  rest  found  he  had  got  it  they  seemed 
quite  satisfied,  thinking  most  probably  that  they  could 
learn  it  at  their  pleasure. 

"  Well,  Jim,"  said  I,  "  what  do  you  think  of  the  King, 
Louis  Philippe  ?"  He  reached  for  the  pipe,  and  taking  a 


AN  INDIAN'S  IDEA  OF  DESCENTS.  217 

puff  or  two  handed  it  to  the  Doctor,  and  rolling  over  on  to 
his  back,  and  drawing  up  his  knees,  said,  "  I  think  he  is  a 
great  man  and  a  very  good  man.  I  believe  he  is  a  much 
greater  chief  than  the  Queen  of  England,  and  that  he 
governs  his  people  much  better,  because  we  don't  see  so 
many  poor  people  in  the  streets — we  think  that  his  people 
all  have  enough  to  eat.  His  wigwam  is  very  grand  and 
very  bright,  and  his  chickabobboo  the  best  that  we  have  had. 
We  did  not  see  the  King  with  his  fine  dress  on,  but  as  his 
servants  all  around  him  were  beautifully  dressed,  like 
gentlemen,  we  know  that  the  King  and  Queen  must  look 
very  elegant  when  they  are  in  full  dress.  We  saw  the 
King's  two  sons,  and  he  told  us  that  his  grandson  was  to  be 
the  King  when  he  dies — now  we  don't  understand  this  !" 
It  seemed  that  his  teacher,  Daniel,  had  overlooked  the 
doctrine  of  descents  during  their  close  investigations  of  the 
statistics  and  politics  of  England,  and  the  poor  fellow  was 
yet  quite  in  the  dark  to  know  "how  a  grandson  (a  mere 
child)  would  be  taken  in  case  of  the  King's  death,  instead 
of  one  of  his  sons,  either  of  whom  he  said  he  thought  would 
make  a  very  good  king  if  he  would  take  a  trip  for  a  year 
or  two,  as  his  father  did,  on  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri, 
amongst  the  different  tribes  of  Indians."  This  was  con- 

O 

sidered  a  pretty  clever  thing  for  Jim  to  say,  and  it  raised 
a  laugh  amongst  the  Indians ;  he  was  encouraged  to  go 
on,  and  turned  his  conversation  upon  the  gold  and  silver 
medals,  with  which  he  was  very  much  pleased.  They 
were  delighted  with  the  idea  that  the  King's  portrait 
was  on  one  side,  and  that  he  was  to  have  their  names 
engraved  on  the  other ;  and  they  were  not  less  delighted 
when  I  told  them  that  the  gentleman  who  had  come  in 
with  me  and  was  now  sitting  by  my  side,  had  come  from 
the  King  to  bear  them  some  other  token  of  his  Majesty's 
attachment  to  them.  The  object  of  his  visit  being  thus 
made  known  to  them,  he  turned  out  into  the  lap  of  the  chief 
500  francs  to  be  divided  according  to  their  custom.  This 
of  course  put  a  stop  to  conversations  about  descents  and 


218  PRESENTS  IN  MONEY  FROM  THf]  KING. 

Palaces,  &c.,  for  the  time,  and  all  went  to  counting  until  it 
was  divided  into  thirteen  parcels,  one  of  which  for  the  inter 
preter.  Jeffrey,  however,,  very  kindly  surrendered  his 
share,  and  insisted  that  they  should  divide  it  all  amongst 
themselves.  It  was  accordingly  made  into  twelve  parcels, 
each  one,  old  and  young,  taking  an  equal  share,  according- 
to  the  Indian  mode  of  dividing  in  all  the  tribes  I  have 
visited. 

The  War-chief  rose  and  addressed  the  young  man  who 
was  commissioned  to  bear  the  present  to  them  :  — 

"  My  Friend,  we  have  seen  your  King  (our  Great  Father)  this  day,  and 
our  hearts  were  made  glad  that  we  were  allowed  to  see  his  face.  We  now 
receive  the  token  of  his  friendship  which  he  has  sent  through  your  hands, 
and  our  hearts  are  again  glad.  ('  How,  how,  liow ! ') 

11  My  Friend,  we  wish  you  to  say  to  the  King,  our  Great  Father,  that 
we  are  thankful  for  his  kindness,  and  that  we  shall  pray  that  the  Great 
Spirit  may  be  kind  to  him  and  his  children. 

"  My  Friend,  we  are  all  much  obliged  to  you,  and  we  shall  be  glad  to 
offer  you  the  pipe  with  us.  ('  How,  how,  how! ')" 

The  pipe  was  passed  a  few  times  around,  with  some 
further  anecdotes  of  their  visit  to  the  palace,  when  the 
messenger  arose  and  took  leave  of  them.  In  counting  the 
money,  Jim  had  lost  his  attitude,  so  there  was  little  more  of 
the  sentimental  from  him,  as  the  conversation  was  run  rung 
upon  the  King's  bounty,  rather  than  his  greatness,  or  the 
splendour  of  things  they  had  seen  during  the  day.  From 
the  liberal  additions  to  their  private  purse  while  in  Dublin, 
and  by  what  they  were  now  receiving,  they  were  beginning 
to  feel  a  little  purse  proud.  Jim  was  talking  of  having  a 
brick  house  to  live  in  when  he  got  home,  and  the  Doctor  of 
heading  a  war  party  to  go  against  the  Ojibbewaijs.  The 
War-chief  told  him  he  had  better  pay  his  debts  first,  and 
that  he  had  slain  enough  in  his  own  tribe,  without  going 
amongst  his  enemies  for  the  purpose.  The  Little  Wolf  was 
going  to  get  money  enough  to  buy  thirty  horses,  and  lead 
a  war  party  against  his  old  enemies,  the  Pawnees,  but 
Mr.  Melody  reminded  him  that  he  was  to  go  to  war  no 


DIFFICULTIES  IN  OPENING  EXHIBITION.  219 

more,  as  he  had  "buried  the  tomahawk  in  his  Majesty's 
hands." 

Thus  musing  and  moralizing  on  the  events  of  the  day,  I 
left  them  to  their  conversation  and  their  pipe,  to  attend, 
myself,  where  my  presence  was  necessary,  in  arranging  my 
collection,  and  preparing  my  rooms  for  their  exhibitions. 
In  this  I  had  a  real  task — a  scene  of  vexation  and  delay 
that  I  should  wish  never  to  go  through  again,  and  of 
which  a  brief  account  may  be  of  service  to  any  one  of  my 
countrymen  who  may  be  going  to  Paris  to  open  a  public 
exhibition  ;  at  least,  my  hints  will  enable  him,  if  he  pays 
attention  to  them,  to  begin  at  the  right  time,  and  at  the 
right  end  of  what  he  has  got  to  do,  and  to  do  it  to  the  best 
advantage. 

His  first  step  is,  for  any  exhibition  whatever,  to  make  his 
application  to  the  Prefect  of  Police  for  his  licence,  which  is 
in  all  cases  doubtful,  and  in  all  cases  also  is  sure  to  require 
two  or  three  weeks  for  his  petition  to  pass  the  slow  routine 
of  the  various  offices  and  hands  which  it  must  go  through. 
If  it  be  for  any  exhibition  that  can  be  construed  into  an 
interference  with  the  twenty  or  thirty  theatre  licences,  it 
may  as  well  not  be  applied  for  or  thought  of,  for  they  will 
shut  it  up  if  opened. 

It  is  also  necessary  to  arrange  in  time  with  the  overseer 
of  the  poor,  whether  he  is  to  take  one-eighth  or  one-fifth  of 
the  receipts  for  the  hospitals— for  the  hospice,  as  he  is  termed, 
is  placed  at  the  door  of  all  exhibitions  in  Paris,  who  carries 
off  one-eighth  or  one-fifth  of  the  daily  receipts  every  night. 
It  is  necessary  also,  if  catalogues  are  to  be  sold  in  the  rooms, 
to  lodge  one  of  them  at  least  two  weeks  before  the  exhibi 
tion  is  to  open  in  the  hands  of  the  Commissaire  de  Police, 
that  it  may  pass  through  the  office  of  the  Prefect,  and  twenty 
other  officers'  hands,  to  be  read,  and  duly  decided  that  there 
is  nothing  revolutionary  in  it ;  and  then  to  sell  them,  or  to 
give  them  away  (all  the  same),  it  is  necessary  for  the  person 
who  is  to  sell,  and  who  alone  can  sell  them,  to  apply  person 
ally  to  the  Commissaire  de  Police,  and  make  oath  that  he 


LADIES  LEADING  LITTLE  DOGS. 

was  born  in  France,  to  give  his  age  and  address,  &c  ,  &C., 
before  he  can  take  the  part  that  is  assigned  him.     It  is  then 
necessary,  when  the  exhibition  is  announced,  to  wait  until 
seven  or  eight  guards  and  police,  with  muskets  and  bayonets 
fixed,  enter  and  unbar  the  doors,   and  open  them  for  the 
public's    admission.      It    is   necessary    to    submit    to    their 
friendly  care  during  every  day  of  the  exhibition,  and  to  pay 
each  one  his  wages  at  night,  when  they  lock  up  the  rooms 
and  put  out  the  lights.     In  all  this,  however,  though  expen 
sive,  there  is  one  redeeming   feature.     These  numbers  of 
armed  police,  at  their  posts,  in  front  of  the  door,  and  in  the 
passage,  as  well  as  in  the  exhibition  rooms,  give  respecta 
bility  to  its  appearance,   and  preserve  the  strictest  order 
and  quiet  amongst  the  company,  and  keep  a  constant   and 
vigilant  eye  to  the  protection  of  property.     During  the  time 
I  was  engaged  in  settling  these  tedious  preliminaries,  and 
getting  my  rooms  prepared  for  their  exhibition,  the  Indians 
were  taking  their  daily  rides,  and  getting  a  passing  glimpse 
of  most  of  the  out-door  scenes  of  Paris.  They  were  admitting 
parties  of  distinguished  visitors,  who   were    calling    upon 
them,  and  occasionally  leaving  them  liberal  presents,  and 
passing  their  evenings   upon  their  buffalo  skins,  handing 
around  the  never-tiring  pipe,  and  talking  about  the  King, 
and  their  medals,  and  curious  things  they  had  seen  as  they 
had  been  riding  through  the  streets.     The  thing  which  as 
yet  amused  the   Doctor  the  most   was  the   great  number 
of  women  they  saw  in  the  streets  leading  dogs  with  ribbons 
and  strings.    He  said  he  thought  they  liked  their  dogs  better 
than  they  did  their  little  children.     In  London,  he  said  he 
had  seen  some  little  dogs  leading  their  masters,  who  were 
blind,  and  in   Paris  they  began  to  think  the  first  day  they 
rode  out  that  one  half  of  the  Paris  women  were  blind,  but 
that  they  had  a  great  laugh  when  they  found  that  their  eyes 
were  wide  open,  and  that  instead  of  their  dogs  leading  them, 
they  were  leading  their  dogs.     The  Doctor  seemed  puzzled 
about  the  custom  of  the  women  leading  so  many  dogs,  and 
although   he    did  not  in   any  direct  way  censure  them   for 


LADIES  LEADING  LITTLE  DOGS.  221 

doing  it.  it  seemed  to  perplex  him,  and  he  would  sit  and 
smile  and  talk  about  it  for  hours  together.  He  and  Jim 
had,  at  first,  supposed,  after  they  found  that  the  ladies  were 
not  blind,  that  they  cooked  and  ate  them,  but  they  were 
soon  corrected  in  this  notion,  and  always  after  remained  at 
a  loss  to  know  what  they  could  do  with  them. 

On  one  of  their  drives,  the  Doctor  and  Jim,,  supplied  with 
a  pencil  and  a  piece  of  paper,  had  amused  themselves  by 
counting,  from  both  sides  of  the  omnibus,,  the  number  of 
women  they  passed,  leading  dogs  in  the  street,  and  thus 
made  some  amusement  with  their  list  when  they  got  home. 
They  had  been  absent  near  an  hour,  and  driving  through 
many  of  the  principal  streets  of  the  city,  and  their  list  stood 
thus: — 

Women  leading  one  little  dog      ....  432 

Women  leading  two  little  dogs     .          .          .          .  71 

Women  leading  three  little  dogs             ...  5 

Women  with  big  dogs  following  (no  string)    .          .  80 

Women  carrying  little  dogs          ....  20 

Women  with  little  dogs  in  carriages      ...  31 

The  poor  fellows  insisted  on  it  that  the  above  was  a 
correct  account,  and  Jim,  in  his  droll  way  (but  I  have  no 
doubt  quite  honestly),  said  that  "  It  was  not  a  very  good 
day  either." 

I  was  almost  disposed  to  question  the  correctness  of  their 
estimate,  until  I  took  it  into  my  head  to  make  a  similar 
one,  in  a  walk  I  was  one  day  taking,  from  the  Place  Ma 
deleine,  through  a  part  of  the  Boulevard,  Rue  St.  Honore, 
and  Rue  Rivoli,  and  a  turn  in  the  garden  of  the  Tuileries. 
I  saw  so  many  that  I  lost  my  reckoning,  when  I  was  actually 
not  a  vast  way  from  the  list  they  gave  me  as  above,  and 
quite  able  to  believe  that  their  record  was  near  to  the  truth. 
While  the  amusement  was  going  on  about  the  ladies  and  the 
little  dogs,  Daniel,  who  had  already  seen  many  more  of  the 
sights  of  Paris  than  I  had,  told  the  Indians  that  there  was  a 
Dog  Hospital  and  a  Doy  Market  in  Paris,  both  of  them  curious 
places,  and  well  worth  their  seeing.  This  amused  the 


222  JIM  TAKES  IN  'GALIGNANI.' 

Doctor  and  Jim  very  much.  The  Doctor  did  not  care  for 
the  Dog  Market,  but  the  Hospital  he  must  see.  He  thought 
the  hospital  must  be  a  very  necessary  thing,  as  there  were 
such  vast  numbers;  and  he  thought  it  would  be  a  good 
thing  to  have  an  hospital  for  their  mistresses  also.  Jim 
thought  more  of  the  market,  and  must  see  it  in  a  day  or 
two,  for  it  was  about  the  time  that  they  should  give  a  feast  of 
thanksgiving,  and  "  a  Dog  Feast  was  always  the  most  accept 
able  to  the  Great  Spirit."  It  was  thus  agreed  all  around, 
that  they  should  make  a  visit  in  a  few  days  to  the  Dog 
Market  and  the  Dog  Hospital. 

Jim  got  Daniel  to  enter  the  above  list  in  his  book  as  a  very 
interesting  record,  and  ordered  him  to  leave  a  blank  space 
underneath  it,  in  order  to  record  any  thing  else  they  might 
learn  about  dogs  while  in  Paris. 

Poor  Jim !  he  was  at  this  time  deeply  lamenting  the  loss 
of  the  pleasure  he  had  just  commenced  to  draw  from  the 
*  Times '  newspaper,  for  which  he  had  become  a  subscriber, 
and  his  old  and  amusing  friend  '  Punch,'  which  Daniel  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  entertaining  them  with,  and  which  he  had 
been  obliged  to  relinquish  on  leaving  England.  His  friend 
Daniel,  however,  who  was  sure  always  to  be  by  him,  parti 
cularly  at  a  late  hour  in  the  evenings,  relieved  him  from  his 
trouble  by  telling  him  that  there  was  an  English  paper 
printed  in  Paris  every  day,  '  Galignani's  Messenger,'  which 
republished  nearly  all  the  murders,  and  rapes,  and  robberies, 
&c.  from  the '  Times  ; '  and  also,  which  would  make  it  doubly 
interesting,  those  which  were  daily  occurring  in  Paris.  Jim 
was  now  built  up  again,  and  as  he  could  already  read  a  few 
words  was  the  envied  of  all  the  party.  He  was  learning 
with  Daniel  and  Jeffrey  a  few  words  in  French  also,  to  which 
the  others  had  not  aspired ;  he  could  say  quite  distinctly 
66  vive  le  roi;"  he  knew  that  "bonjour*  was  "  good  morning," 
or  "  how  do  do  ?  "  that  "  bon"  was  "  good,"  that  "  mauvais"  was 
f<  bad,"  and  that  "  very  sick"  was  ''  bien  malade"  He  re 
quested  Daniel  to  get  Galignani's  paper  daily  for  him,  for 
which  he  and  the  Doctor  had  agreed  to  pay  equal  shares. 


INDIANS  DINE  AT  W.  COSTAR'S.  223 

He  seemed  now  quite  happy  in  the  opinion  that  his  prospects 
for  civilization  were  again  upon  a  proper  footing,  and  the 
old  Doctor,  who  profited  equally  by  all  of  Daniel's  readings, 
was  delighted  to  lend  his  purse  to  share  in  the  expense. 
Daniel  at  this  moment  pulled  the  last  number  of  Galignani 
out  of  his  pocket,  the  first  sight  of  which  pleased  them  very 
much.,  and  after  reading  several  extracts  of  horrid  murders, 
highway  robberies,  &c.,  from  the  'Times/  he  came  across  a  little 
thing  that  amused  them, — the  great  number  and  length  of 
the  names  of  the  little  Prince  of  Wales,  which  he  read  over 
thus: — 

(The  author  regrets  very  much  that  he  took  no  memo 
randum  of  this,  but  refers  the  reader  to  the  London  papers 
for  it.) 

There  was  a  hearty  laugh  by  the  whole  troop  when  Daniel 
got  through,  but  when  Mr.  Melody  repeated  the  name  of  a 
poor  fellow  who  used  to  dress  deer  skins  for  a  living  in  the 
vicinity  of  St.  Louis,  they  all  laughed  still  more  heartily, 
and  Chippehola  set  in  and  laughed  also.  He  had  forgotten  a 
part  of  this  poor  fellow's  name,  but  as  far  as  he  recollected 
of  his  sign  board,  it  ran  thus: — "  Haunus,  hubbard,  lubbard, 
laniberd,  Zunk,  vandunk,  Peter,  Jacobus,  Lockamore,  Lavendolph, 
dresses  deer  skins  of  all  animals,  and  in  all  ways,  alum 
dressed." 

Such  was  a  part  of  the  gossip  of  an  evening,  while  my  days 
were  occupied  in  preparing  my  rooms  for  the  admission  of 
the  public.  During  this  delay,  one  of  the  gentlemen 
who  visited  the  Indians  most  frequently,  as  his  native 
countrymen,  was  Mr.  W.  Costar,  formerly  of  New  York,  but 
now  living  in  Paris,  and  whose  kind  lady  invited  the  whole 
I 'arty  to  dine  at  her  house. 

The  Indians  had  expressed  the  greatest  pleasure  at  meet 
ing  this  American  gentleman  in  Paris,  as  if  they  claimed  a 
sort  of  kindred  to  him,  and  met  the  invitation  as  one  of  great 
kindness,  and  the  interview  as  one  in  which  they  were  to 
feel  much  pleasure.  They  were  particularly  careful  in 
dressing  and  preparing  for  it,  and  when  ready,  and  the 


224    DOCTOR'S  COMPLIMENT  TO  A  LADY'S  VOICE 

time  had  arrived,  Mr.  Melody  and  I  accompanied  them  to 
this  gentleman's  house,  where  a  most  sumptuous  dinner  was 
served,  and  besides  his  accomplished  lady  and  lovely 
daughters,  there  were  several  ladies  of  distinction  and  of 
title,  seated,  to  complete  the  honours  that  were  to  be  paid  to 
the  Indians. 

It  was  a  matter  of  great  surprise  to  all  the  fashionable 
guests  who  were  present,  that  those  rude  people  from  the 
wilderness,  used  to  take  their  meals  from  the  ground,  were 
so  perfectly  composed  and  so  much  at  ease  at  the  table, 
and  managed  so  well  with  the  knife  and  fork,  and  even  so 
gracefully  smiled  over  their  glasses  of  wine  when  a  lady  or 
a  gentleman  proposed  the  health  of  any  one.  Just  before 
we  had  finished  our  dessert,  a  number  of  fashionable 

ladies,  the  Countess  of  L ,  the  Baron  and  Baroness  de 

G ,  and  several  others  who  had  begun  to  assemble  for 

the  evening  soiree,  arrived,  and  were  ushered  into  the  din 
ing  room,  where  they  had  the  curiosity  of  seeing  the  Indians 
as  they  were  seated  in  all  their  trinkets  and  ranged  around 
the  table  ;  and  from  the  lips  of  all  escaped  the  instant  ex 
clamations  of,  ''  Bless  me  !  what  a  fine  and  noble-looking 
set  of  men  they  are  !  How  much  at  ease  they  seem  !  Why, 
those  are  polished  gentlemen,"  Sec.  &c. 

From  the  dinner  table  they  were  invited  to  the  salon, 
where  a  large  party  had  gathered,  who  were  delighted  with 
the  wild  and  picturesque  appearance  of  the  "  Peaux  Rouges/' 

The  Indians  saw  some  fine  dancing  and  waltzing,  and 
heard  some  splendid  playing  on  the  piano,  and  singing. 

The  Doctor's  complete  fascination  by  the  playing  and 
singing  erf  a  beautiful  young  lady  was  so  conspicuous  as  to 
become  the  principal  event  of  the  evening,  and  after  he  had 
stood  and  smiled  upon  her  in  profound  admiration  during 
her  fourth  or  fifth  song,  he  amused  many  of  the  party,  and 
shocked  others,  by  the  extraordinary  and  unexpected,  though 
perfectly  just  remark,  that  "her  voice  was  as  soft  and  sweet 
as  that  of  a  wolf!" 

This  startling  compliment  I  must  leave  for  the  estimates 


VISIT  THE  ACADEMY  OF  SCIENCES.  225 

of  the  world,  mentioning  only  the  two  facts,  that  the  Doctor's 
totem  (or  arms)  is  the  wolf;  and  that  in  my  travels  in  the 
prairies  of  America  I  have  often  thought  that  the  soft,  and 
plaintive,  and  silvery  tones  of  the  howling  prairie  wolf  often 
times  surpassed  in  sweetness  the  powers  of  the  human  voice. 

M.  Vattemare,  in  his  kind  endeavours  to  promote  the 
interest  of  the  Indians,  and  that  of  myself,  had  obtained  an 
invitation  from  the  Members  of  the  Royal  Academy  of 
Sciences  for  the  Indians  to  visit  them  at  one  of  their  sittings, 
which  was  a  great  honour ;  but  the  poor  Indians  left  Paris 
without  ever  having  been  able  to  learn  how  or  in  what  way 
that  honour  arrived.  Messrs.  Melody  and  Vattemare  and 
myself  accompanied  the  whole  party  to  their  rooms,  and, 
being  ushered  and  squeezed  and  pushed  into  a  dense  crowd 
of  gentlemen,  all  standing,  and  where  the  Indians  were  not 
even  offered  a  seat,  they  were  gazed  and  scowled  at,  their 
heads  and  arms  felt,  their  looks  and  capacities  criticised 
like  those  of  wild  beasts,  without  being  asked  a  question,  or 
thanked  for  the  kindness  of  coming,  and  where  they  were 
offered  not  even  a  glass  of  cold  water.  The  Indians  and 
ourselves  were  thus  eyed  and  elbowed  about  in  this  crowd 
for  half  an  hour,  from  which  wre  were  all  glad  to  escape, 
deciding  that  it  was  entirely  too  scientific  for  us,  and  a  style 
of  politeness  that  we  were  not  perhaps  sufficiently  acquainted 
with  duly  to  appreciate. 

The  various  conjectures  about  the  objects  of  this  visit 
were  raised  after  we  got  home,  and  they  were  as  curious  as 
they  were  numerous.  The  Indians  had  reflected  upon  it  with 
evident  surprise,  and  repeatedly  inquired  of  M.  Vattemare 
and  myself  for  what  purpose  we  had  taken  them  there. 
M.  Vattemare  told  them  that  these  were  the  greatest 
scientific  men  of  the  kingdom.  This  they  did  not  under 
stand,  and  he  then,  to  explain,  said  they  were  the  great 
medicine  men,  the  learned  doctors,  &c.  They  then  took 
the  hint  a  little  better,  and  decided  alarm  with  it,  for  they 
said  they  recollected  to  have  seen  in  some  of  their  faces, 
while  examining  their  heads  and  arms,  decided  expressions 

VOL.  II.  Q 


226  JIM'S  FAMOUS  SPEECH. 

of  anxiety  to  dissect  their  limbs  and  bones,  which  they  now 
felt  quite  sure  would  be  the  case  if  any  of  them  should  die 
while  in  Paris.  The  War- chief,  who  seldom  had  much  to  say 
while  speaking  of  the  events  of  the  day,  very  gravely 
observed  on  this  occasion,  that  "  he  had  been  decidedly  dis 
pleased,  and  the  chief  also,  but  it  would  be  best  to  say  no 
more  about  it,  though  if  any  of  the  party  got  sick,  to  take 
great  care  what  physicians  were  called  to  visit  them." 

M.  Vattemare,  in  his  kind  interest  for  all  parties,  here 
exerted  his  influence  to  a  little  further  degree,  and  per 
suaded  the  Indians  to  believe  that  those  distinguished  men, 
the  great  philosopher  M.  Arago  and  others,  who  were  pre 
sent,  would  be  their  warmest  friends,  but  that  with  these 
transcendently  great  and  wise  men,  their  minds  and  all 
their  time  were  so  engrossed  with  their  profound  studies, 
that  they  had  no  time  or  desire  to  practise  politeness;  that 
they  were  the  eyes  which  the  public  used,  to  look  deep  into 
and  through  all  things  strange  or  new  that  came  to  Paris  ; 
and  that  the  public  were  after  that,  polite  and  civil,  in  pro 
portion  as  those  learned  men  should  decide  that  they  ought 
or  ought  not  to  be. 

Jim  here  took  a  whiff  or  two  on  his  pipe,  and,  turning 
over  on  his  back  and  drawing  up  his  knees  and  clasping  his 
hands  across  his  stomach  (Plate  No.  17),  said— 

"  We  know  very  well  that  the  King  and  the  Queen  and  all  the  royal 
family  are  pleased  with  us,  and  are  our  friends,  and  if  that  is  not  enough  to 
make  us  respected  we  had  better  go  home.  We  believe  that  the  King  is 
a  much  greater  man,  and  a  much  better  man,  than  any  of  those  we  saw 
there,  and  better  than  the  whole  of  them  put  together.  We  know  that 
there  are  many  kind  people  in  this  great  city  who  will  be  glad  to  shake 
our  hands  in  friendship,  and  there  are  others  who  would  like  to  get  our 
skins,  and  we  think  that  we  saw  some  such  there  to-day.  We  met  some 
kind  people  yesterday,  where  we  went  to  dine — we  love  those  people  and 
do  not  fear  them.  If  we  should  get  sick  they  would  be  kind  to  us,  and  we 
think  much  more  of  that  kind  lady  and  gentleman  than  we  do  of  all  the 
great  doctors  we  have  seen  this  day— we  hope  not  to  see  them  any  more. 
This  is  the  wish  of  the  chiefs,  and  of  our  wives  and  little  children,  who  are 
all  alarmed  about  them." 

This  finished   the  conversation  for  the  present  about  the 


\  I 


OPENING  OF  EXHIBITION.  227 

learned  society,  though  the  impression  was  one  of  a  most 
unfavourable  kind  on  their  minds,  and  was  a  long  time  in 
wearing  away. 

The  time  had  at  length  arrived  for  the  opening  of  my 
collection  and  the  commencement  of  the  illustrations  of  the 
Indians.  It  had  been  for  some  days  announced,  and  the  hour 
had  approached.  The  visitors  were  admitted  into  the  rooms 
where  my  numerous  collection  of  600  paintings  and  some 
thousands  of  articles  of  Indian  manufactures  were  subjects  of 
new  and  curious  interest  to  examine  until  the  audience  were 
mostly  assembled,,  when,  at  a  signal,  the  Indians  all  entered 
the  room  from  an  adjoining  apartment,  advancing  to  and 
mounting  the  platform,  in  Indian  file,  in  full  dress  and  paint, 
and  armed  and  equipped  as  if  for  a  battle-field.  They 
sounded  the  war-whoop  as  they  came  in,  and  nothing  could 
exceed  the  thrill  of  excitement  that  ran  through  the  crowd  in 
every  part  of  the  Hall.  There  was  a  rush  to  see  who  should 
get  nearest  to  the  platform,  and  be  enabled  most  closely 
to  scan  "  les  Sauvages  horribles"  "  lea  Peaux  Rouges"  ou  "  les 
nouvelles  Diables  a  Paris" 

The  chief  led  the  party  as  they  entered  the  room,  and, 
having  ascended  the  platform,  erected  the  flag  of  his  tribe  in 
the  centre,  and  in  a  moment  the  party  were  all  seated 
around  it,  and  lighting  their  pipe  to  take  a  smoke,  whilst  I 
was  introducing  them  and  their  wives  to  the  audience.  This 
having  been  done  in  as  brief  a  time  as  possible,  they  finished 
their  pipe  and  commenced  their  amusements  in  Paris  by 
giving  the  discovery-dance.  This  curious  mode  forms  a 
part  and  the  commencement  of  the  war-dance,  and  is  gene 
rally  led  oif  by  one  of  the  War-chiefs,  who  dances  forward 
alone,  pretending  to  be  skulking  and  hunting  for  the  track 
of  his  enemy,  and  when  he  discovers  it  he  beckons  on  his 
warriors,  who  steal  into  the  dance  behind  him,  and  follow 
him  up  as  he  advances,  and  pretends  at  length  to  discover 
the  enemy  in  the  distance,  ordering  all  to  be  ready  for  the 
attack. 


228  SENSATION  PRODUCED  BY  THE  DOCTOR, 

The  Doctor  was  the  one  who  opened  the  lal  on  this 
occasion,  and  it  was  a  proud  and  important  moment  for  him  : 
not  that  the  fate  of  nations  unborn,  or  the  success  of  their 
enterprise,  depended  upon  the  event,  but  what  to  him  was 
perhaps  as  high  an  incentive — that  his  standing  with  the 
ladies  of  Paris  would  probably  be  regulated  for  the  whole 
time  they  should  be  there  by  the  sensation  he  should  make 
at  the  first  dash.  He  therefore  put  on  his  most  confident 
smile  as  he  went  into  the  dance  :  as  he  tilted  about  and 
pointed  out  the  track  where  his  enemy  had  gone,  he  made 
signs  that  the  enemy  had  passed  by,  and  then,  beckoning  up 
his  warriors,  pointed  him  out  amongst  a  group  of  beautiful 
ladies  who  had  taken  an  elevated  and  conspicuous  position 
in  front.  He  sounded  the  war-whoop,  and  all  echoed  it  as 
he  pointed  towards  the  ladies,  who  screamed,  and  leapt  from 
their  seats,  as  the  Indians'  weapons  were  drawn  !  Here  was  an 
excitement  begun,  and  the  old  Doctor  smiled  as  he  turned 
his  head  and  his  weapons  in  other  directions,  and  proceeded 
with  the  dance.  At  the  end  of  its  first  part  their  feet  all 
came  to  a  simultaneous  stop,  when  the  Doctor  advanced 
to  the  front  of  the  platform,  and,  brandishing  his  spear  over 
the  heads  of  the  audience,  made  the  most  tremendous  boast 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  took  a  prisoner  in  a  battle  with 
the  Pawnees,  and  drove  him  home  before  his  horse  rather 
than  take  his  life  :  he  then  plunged  into  the  most  agitated 
dance  alone,  and  acting  out  the  whole  features  of  his  battle  in 
time  to  the  song  and  beating  of  the  drum  ;  and  at  the  close, 
rounds  of  applause  awaited  him  in  every  part  of  the  crowd. 
These  the  Doctor  received  with  so  complaisant  a  smile  of  satis 
faction,  as  he  bowed  his  head  gracefully  inclined  on  one  side, 
that  another  and  another  burst  of  applause,  and  another 
bow  and  smile,  followed ;  satisfying  him  that  the  path  was 
cleared  before  him.  He  then  shook  his  rattle  of  deer's 
hoofs,  and,  summoning  his  warriors,  they  all  united  in  finish 
ing  with  full  and  wild  effect  this  spirited  dance.  Though 
in  the  midst  of  a  dancing  country,  their  mode  of  dancing 


DISTINGUISHED  AUDIENCE.  * 

was  quite  new,  and  was  evidently  calculated  to  amuse,,  from 
the  immense  applause  that  was  given  them  at  the  end  of 
their  first  effort. 

The  dancers  had  now  all  taken  their  seats,  except  the 
Doctor,  who  was  lingering  on  his  feet,  and  had  passed  his 
spear  into  his  left  hand,  evidently  preparing  to  push  his  ad 
vantage  a  little  farther  with  the  ladies,  by  making  a  speech, 
as  soon  as  silence  should  be  sufficiently  restored  to  enable 
him  to  be  heard.  This  little  delay  might  or  might  not 
have  been  a  fortunate  occurrence  for  the  Doctor,  for  it 
afforded  Jim  an  opportunity  to  remind  him  how  much  he 
had  lost  by  his  last  two  or  three  speeches,  which  so  com 
pletely  put  him  out,  that  he  sat  down,  apparently  well 
pleased  and  satisfied  with  what  he  had  already  accomplished. 

My  kind  friend  M.  Vattemare,  who  had  now  become 
a  great  favourite  of  the  Indians,  went  forward,  and 
offered  them  his  hand  to  encourage  them,  assuring  them  of 
the  great  pleasure  the  audience  were  taking,  and  encou 
raging  them  to  go  on  with  all  the  spirit  they  could,  as  there 
were  some  of  the  most  distinguished  people  of  Paris 
present — the  Minister  of  the  Interior  and  his  lady,  the 
Prefet  de  Police,  several  foreign  ambassadors,  and  a  num 
ber  of  the  editors  of  the  leading  journals,  who  were  taking 
notes,  and  would  speak  about  them  in  the  papers  the  next 
morning. 

The  eagle-dance  was  now  announced  to  the  audience  as 
the  next  amusement ;  and  after  a  brief  description  of  it, 
the  Little  Wolf  sprang  upon  his  feet,  and  sounding  his 
eagle  whistle,  and  shaking  the  eagle's  tail  in  his  left 
hand,  while  he  brandished  his  tomahawk  in  his  right, 
he  commenced.  His  fellow-warriors  were  soon  engaged 
with  him,  and  all  excited  to  the  determination  to  make 
"  a  hit."  As  after  the  first,  they  were  complimented  by 
rounds  of  applause,  and  sat  down  to  their  pipe  with  peculiar 
satisfaction.  The  War-chief  took  the  first  few  whiffs  upon 
it,  and,  rising,  advanced  to  the  front  of  the  platform,  and  in 
the  most  dignified  and  graceful  attitude  that  the  orator 


230  WAR-CHIEF'S  SPEECH. 

could  assume,  extended  his  right  hand  over  the  heads  of  the 
audience,  and  said — 

"  My  Friends, — It  gives  us  great  pleasure  to  see  so  many  pleasant  faces 
before  us  to-night,  and  to  learn  from  your  applause  that  you  are  amused 
with  our  dances.  We  are  but  children ;  we  live  in  the  woods,  and  are  igno 
rant,  and  you  see  us.here  as  the  Great  Spirit  made  us;  and  our  dances  are 
not  like  the  dances  of  the  French  people,  whom  we  have  been  told  dance 
the  best  of  any  people  in  the  world.  ('  How,  how,  how  /'  and  immense 
applause.) 

"  My  Friends, — We  come  here  not  to  teach  you  to  dance — (a  roar  of 
applause  and  laughter) — we  come  here  not  to  teach  you  anything,  for  you 
are  a  great  deal  wiser  than  we,  but  to  show  you  how  we  red  people  look 
and  act  in  the  wilderness,  and  we  shall  be  glad  some  nights  to  go  and  see 
how  the  French  people  dance.  (Great  applause  and  '  How,  how,  how!') 

"  My  Friends, — We  are  happy  that  the  Great  Spirit  has  kept  us  alive 
and  well,  and  that  we  have  been  allowed  to  see  the  face  of  our  Great 
Father  your  King.  We  saw  him  and  your  good  Queen,  and  the  little  boy 
who  will  be  king,  and  they  all  treated  us  with  kind  hearts,  and  we  feel 
thankful  for  it.  ('  How,  how,  how!') 

"  My  Friends, —  We  have  crossed  two  oceans  to  come  here,  and  we 
have  seen  ho  village  so  beautiful  as  Paris.  London,  where  the  Saganoshes 
live,  is  a  large  village,  but  their  wigwams  are  not  so  beautiful  as  those  in 
Paris,  and  in  their  streets  there  are  too  many  people  who  seem  to  be  very 
poor  and  hungry.  ('  How,  how,  how!') 

"  My  Friends, — I  have  no  more  to  say  at  present,  only,  that,  when  my 
young  men  have  finished  their  dances,  we  shall  be  glad  to  shake  hands  with 
you  all,  if  you  desire  it."  ("How,  how,  how!") 

The  old  man  resumed  his  seat  and  his  pipe  amidst  a  din 
of  applause  ;  and  at  this  moment  several  trinkets  and  pieces 
of  money  were  tossed  upon  the  platform  from  various  parts 
of  the  room. 

After  the  eagle -dance  they  strung  their  bows,  and,  sling 
ing  their  quivers  upon  their  backs,  commenced  shooting  at 
the  target  for  prizes.  The  hall  in  which  their  dances  were 
given  was  so  immensely  large  that  they  had  a  range  of 
150  feet  to  throw  their  arrows  at  their  targets,  which 
formed  by  no  means  the  least  amusing  and  exciting  part  of 
their  exhibitions.  Their  ball-sticks  were  also  taken  in 
hand,  and  the  ball,  and  their  mode  of  catching  and  throwing 
it,  beautifully  illustrated.  After  this,  and  another  dance, 
a  general  shake  of  the  hands  took  place,  and  a  promenade 


OPINIONS  ON  THE  COLLECTION.  231 

of  the  Indians  through  the  vast  space  occupied  by  my  collec 
tion.  They  retired  from  the  rooms  and  the  crowd  in  fine 
glee,  having  made  their  debut  in  Paris,  about  which  they  had 
had  great  anxiety,  somebody  having  told  them  that  the 
French  people  would  not  be  pleased  with  their  dancing,  as 
they  danced  so  wrell  themselves. 

The  Indians  being  gone,  /  became  the  lion,  and  was  asked 
for  in  every  part  of  the  rooms.  The  visitors  were  now  ex 
amining  my  numerous  works,  and  all  wanted  to  see  me.  My 
friend  M.  Vattemare  was  by  my  side,  and  kindly  pre 
sented  me  to  many  gentlemen  of  the  press,  and  others  of 
his  acquaintance,  in  the  rooms.  There  were  so  many  who 
said  they  were  waiting  "  for  the  honour,"  &c.,  that  I  was 
kept  until  a  very  late  hour  before  I  could  leave  the  room. 

There  were  a  number  of  fellow-artists  present,  wrho  took 
pleasure  in  complimenting  me  for  the  manner  in  which  my 
paintings  were  executed ;  and  many  others  for  my  persever 
ance  and  philanthropy  in  having  laboured  thus  to  pre 
serve  the  memorials  of  these  dying  people.  I  was  compli 
mented  on  all  sides,  and  bowed,  and  was  bowed  to,  and 
invited  by  cards  and  addresses  left  for  me.  So  /  went 
home,  as  well  as  the  Indians,  elated  with  the  pleasing  con 
viction  that  mine  was  a  ft  hit,"  as  wrell  as  theirs. 

The  leading  journals  of  the  next  day  wrere  liberal  in  their 
comments  upon  the  Indians  and  my  collection,  pronouncing 
my  labours  of  great  interest  and  value,  and  the  exhibition 
altogether  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  interest  ever 
opened  in  Paris,  and  advising  all  the  world  to  see  it.* 
Thus  were  we  started  in  the  way  of  business  after  the  first 
night's  exhibition,  and  that  after  remaining  there  just  one 
month  before  we  could  meet  and  pass  all  the  necessary 
forms  and  get  quite  ready. 

*  See  critical  notices  of  the  French  Press,  Appendix  to  vol.  i.  p.  239. 


(     232     ) 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Indians  at  Madame  Greene's  party — Their  ideas  of  waltzing — The  Doctor's 
admiration  of  the  young  ladies — The  King's  fete,  first  of  May — Indians 
in  the  Palace — Royal  Family  in  the  balcony — Grand  and  sublime  scene 
on  the  river — Indians  in  a  crowd  of  nobility  in  the  Due  d'Aumale's  apart 
ments — Messenger  to  Indians'  apartments  with  gold  and  silver  medals — • 
Medals  to  the  women  and  children — Consequent  difficulties — Visit  to 
the  Hospital  of  Invalids — Place  Concorde — Column  of  Luxor — The 
fountains — Visit  to  the  Triumphal  Arch — Jim's  description  of  an  ugly 
woman— ^Victor  Hugo — Madame  Georges  Sands — Indians  visit  the 
Louvre-i-M.  de  Cailleux — Baron  de  Humboldt — Illness  of  the  wife  of 
Little  Wolf — A  phrenologist  visits  the  Indians — The  phrenologist's  head 
examined — Two  Catholic  priests  visit  the  Indians — Indians  visit  the 
Garden  of  Plants — Alarm  of  the  birds  and  animals — The  "  poor  prisoner 
buffalo" — Visit  to  the  Sails  aux  Vins — Astonishment  of  the  Indians — 
The  war-whoop — Chickabobboo — Cafes  explained — Indians  visit  Pere 
la  Chaise — A  great  funeral — A  speech  over  the  grave. — Hired  mourners 
— Visit  the  School  of  Medicine — and  "  Dupuytreri's  Room" — Excitement 
of  the  Doctor — Visit  to  the  Foundling  Hospital — Astonishment  and 
pity  of  the  Indians — Entries  in  Jim's  note-book,  and  Doctor's  remarks — 
Visit  the  Guillotine — Indians'  ideas  of  hanging  in  England,  and  be 
heading  in  France — Curious  debate — Visit  to  the  Dog  Market — Jim's 
purchase  and  difficulty — The  Dog  Hospital — Alarm  of  the  "  petites 
malades" — Retreat — Bobasheela  arrives  from  London — Great  rejoicing 
— Jim's  comments  on  the  Frenchwomen — The  little  foundlings  and  the 
little  dogs. 

HAVING  thus  commenced  upon  our  operations  in  the  Salle 
Valentino,  it  was  thought  best  to  change  the  lodgings  of  the 
Indians  to  some  point  more  near  to  the  place  of  their  exhi 
bitions,  and  rooms  were  at  length  procured  for  them  in  the 
same  building  with  their  hall,  and  communicating  with  it. 
To  these  apartments  they  were  removed,  and  arrangements 
were  made  for  two  open  carriages  to  drive  them  an  hour 
each  day  for  their  recreation  and  amusement.  By  this 
arrangement  we  had  the  sights  of  Paris  before  us,  and  easily 


INDIANS  AT  AN  EVENING-PARTY.  233 

within  our  reach,  to  be  visited  at  our  leisure.  Our  exhibi 
tions  were  given  each  night  from  eight  to  ten,  and  each 
afternoon  from  one  to  three  o'clock ;  so  that  they  had  the 
mornings  for  sight-seeing,  and  their  evenings,  from  ten  to 
twelve,  to  visit  the  theatres  or  parties,  whenever  they  were 
invited  and  felt  disposed  to  attend. 

The  first  evening-party  they  were  invited  to  attend  in 
Paris  was  that  of  the  lady  of  Mr.  Greene,  the  American 
banker.  They  were  there  ushered  into  a  brilliant  blaze  of 
lamps,  of  beauty,  and  fashion,  composed  chiefly  of  Americans, 
to  whom  they  felt  the  peculiar  attachment  of  countrymen, 
though  of  a  different  complexion,  and  anywhere  else  than 
across  the  Atlantic  would  have  been  strangers  to. 

They  were  received  with  great  kindness  by  this  polite  and 
excellent  lady  and  her  daughters,  and  made  many  pleasing 
acquaintances  in  her  house.  The  old  Doctor  had  luckily 
dressed  out  his  head  with  his  red  crest,  and  left  at  home 
his  huge  head-dress  of  horns  and  eagles'  quills,  which  would 
have  been  exceedingly  unhandy  in  a  squeeze,  and  subjected 
him  to  curious  remarks  amongst  the  ladies.  He  had  loaded 
on  all  his  wampum  and  other  ornaments,  and  smiled  away 
the  hours  in  perfect  happiness,  as  he  was  fanning  himself 
with  the  tail  of  a  war-eagle,  and  bowing  his  head  to  the 
young  and  beautiful  ladies  who  were  helping  him  to  lemon 
ade  and  blanc-mange,  and  to  the  young  men  who  were  in 
viting  him  to  the  table  to  take  an  occasional  glass  of  the 
"  Queen  s  chickabobboo"  Their  heavy  buffalo  robes  were 
distressing  to  them  (said  the  Doctor)  in  the  great  heat  of 
the  rooms,  "  but  then,  as  the  ladies  were  afraid  of  getting 
paint  on  their  dresses,  they  did  not  squeeze  so  hard  against 
us  as  they  did  against  the  other  people  in  the  room,  so  we 
did  not  get  so  hot  as  we  might  have  been." 

It  amused  the  Doctor  and  Jim  very  much  to  see  the 
gentlemen  take  the  ladies  by  the  waist  when  they  were 
dancing  with  them,  probably  never  having  seen  waltzing 
before.  They  were  pleased  also,  as  the  Doctor  said,  with 
"  the  manner  in  which  the  ladies  showed  their  beautiful 


234 


THE  KING'S  FETE. 


white  necks  and  arms,  but  they  saw  several  that  they 
thought  had  better  been  covered."  "  The  many  nice  and 
sweet  and  frothy  little  things  that  the  ladies  gave  them  in 
tea-saucers  to  eat,  with  little  spoons,  were  too  sweet,  and 
they  did  not  like  them  much ;  and  in  coming  away  they 
were  sorry  they  could  not  find  the  good  lady  to  thank  her, 
the  crowd  was  so  great;  but  the  ckickabobboo  (champagne), 
which  was  very  good,  was  close  to  the  door,  and  a  young 
man  with  yellow  hair  and  moustaches  kept  pouring  it  out 
until  they  were  afraid,  if  they  drank  any  more,  some  of  the 
poor  fellows  who  were  dancing  so  hard  would  get  none." 

The  scene  they  witnessed  that  night  was  truly  very 
brilliant,  and  afforded  them  theme  for  a  number  of  pipes  of 
gossip  after  they  got  home. 

It  has  been  said,  and  very  correctly,  that  there  is  no  end 
to  the  amusements  of  Paris,  and  to  the  Indians,  to  whose 
sight  every  thing  was  new  and  curious,  the  term,  no  doubt, 
more  aptly  applied  than  to  the  rest  of  the  world.  Of  those 
never-ending  sights  there  was  one  now  at  hand  which  was 
promising  them  and  "all  the  world"  a  fund  of  amusement, 
and  the  poor  fellows  were  impatient  for  its  arrival.  This 
splendid  and  all-exciting  affair  was  the  King's  fete  on  the 
1st  of  May,  his  birthday  as  some  style  it,  though  it  is  not 
exactly  such,  it  is  the  day  fixed  upon  as  the  annual  cele 
bration  of  his  birth.  This  was,  of  course,  a  holiday  to  the 
Indians,  as  well  as  for  everybody  else,  and  I  resolved  to 
spend  the  greater  part  of  it  with  them. 

Through  the  aid  of  some  friends  I  had  procured  an 
order  to  admit  the  party  of  Indians  into  the  apart 
ments  of  the  Duke  d'Aumale  in  the  Tuileries,  to  witness 
the  grand  concert  in  front  of  the  Palace,  and  to  see  the 
magnificent  fireworks  and  illumination  on  the  Seine  at 
night.  We  had  the  best  possible  position  assigned  us  in 
the  wing  of  the  Palace,  overlooking  the  river  in  both 
directions,  up  and  down,  bringing  all  the  bridges  of  the 
Seine,  the  Deputies,  and  Invalides,  and  other  public  build 
ings,  which  were  illuminated,  directly  under  our  eyes. 


SCENE  FROM  THE  TUILERIES.  235 

During  the  day,  Mr.  Melody,  and  Jeffrey,  and  Daniel  had 
taken,  as  they  called  it,  "a  grand  drive,"  to  inspect  the 
various  places  of  amusement,  and  the  immense  concourse  of 
people  assembled  in  them.  Of  these,  the  Barrieres,  the 
Champs  Elysees,  £c.5  they  were  obliged  to  take  but  a  passing 
glance,  for  to  have  undertaken  to  stop  and  to  mix  with  the 
dense  crowds  assembled  in  them  would  have  been  dangerous, 
even  to  their  lives,  from  the  masses  of  people  who  would 
have  crowded  upon  them.  The  Indians  themselves  were 
very  sagacious  on  this  point,  and  always  judiciously  kept  at 
a  reasonable  distance  on  such  occasions.  It  was  amusement 
enough  for  them  during  the  day  to  ride  rapidly  about  and 
through  the  streets,  anticipating  the  pleasure  they  were  to 
have  in  the  evening,  and  taking  a  distant  view  from  their 
carriages,  of  the  exciting  emulation  of  the  May -pole,  and  a 
glance  at  the  tops  of  the  thousand  booths,  and  "  flying 
ships,"  and  "  merry-  go-rounds"  of  the  Champs  Elysees. 

At  six  o'clock  we  took  our  carriages  and  drove  to  the 
Tuileries,  and,  being  conducted  to  the  splendid  apart 
ments  of  the  Duke  d'Aumale,  who  was  then  absent  from 
Paris,  we  had  there,  from  the  windows  looking  down  upon 
the  Seine  and  over  the  Quartier  St.  Germain,  and  the 
windows  in  front,  looking  over  the  garden  of  the  Tuileries 
and  Place  Concorde,  the  most  general  and  comprehensive 
view  that  was  to  be  had  from  any  point  that  could  have 
been  selected.  Under  our  eyes  in  front,  the  immense  area 
of  the  garden  of  the  Tuileries  was  packed  with  human 
beings,  forming  but  one  black  and  dotted  mass  of  some 
hundreds  of  thousands  who  were  gathered  to  listen  to  the 
magnificent  orchestra  of  music,  and  to  see  and  salute  with 
"  Vive  le  Hoi !"  "  Vive  la  Heine  !"  and  "  Vive  le  Comte  de 
Paris  !"  the  Royal  Family  as  they  appeared  in  the  balcony. 
Though  it  appeared  as  if  every  part  of  the  gardens  was 
fllied,  there  was  still  a  black  and  moving  mass  pouring 
through  Rue  Rivoli,  Rue  Castiglione,  Rue  Royale,  and 
Place  Concorde,  all  concentrating  in  the  garden  of  the 
Tuileries.  This  countless  mass  of  human  beings  continued 


236  SCENE  ON  THE  RIVER. 

to  gather  until  the  hour  when  their  Majesties  entered 
the  balcony,  and  then,  all  hats  off,  there  was  a  shout 
as  vast  and  incomputable  as  the  mass  itself  of  "  Vive  le 
Hoi! — Vive  le  Roi! — Vive  la  Reine  ! — Vive  le  Comte  de 
Paris  !"  The  King  then,  with  his  chapeau  in  his  hand, 
bowed  to  the  audience  in  various  directions;  so  did  her 
Majesty  the  Queen  and  the  little  Comte  de  Paris.  The 
band  then  struck  up  the  national  air,  and  played  several 
pieces,  while  the  Royal  Family  were  seated  in  the  balcony, 
and  the  last  golden  rays  of  the  sun,  that  was  going  behind 
the  Arc  de  Triomphe,  was  shining  in  their  faces.  Their 
Majesties  then  retired  as  the  twilight  was  commencing,  and 
the  vast  crowd  began  to  move  in  the  direction  of  the  Seine, 
the  Terrace,  and  Place  Concorde,  to  witness  the  grand  scene 
of  illumination  and  "feu  d'artifice"  that  was  preparing  on 
the  river. 

As  the  daylight  disappeared,  the  artificial  light  commenced 
to  display  its  various  characters,  and  the  Indians  began  to 
wonder.  This  scene  was  to  be  entirely  new  to  them,  and 
the  reader  can  imagine  better  than  I  can  explain  what  was 
their  astonishment  when  the  King's  signal  rocket  was  fired 
from  the  Tuileries,  and  in  the  next  moment  the  wrhole  river,, 
as  it  were,  in  a  blaze  of  liquid  fire,  and  the  heavens  burst 
asunder  with  all  their  luminaries  falling  in  a  chaos  of  flames 
and  sparkling  fire  to  the  earth  !  The  incessant  roar  and  flash 
of  cannons  lining  the  shore  of  the  river,  and  the  explosion 
of  rockets  in  the  air,  with  the  dense  columns  of  white,  and 
yellow,  and  blue,  and  blood-red  smoke,  that  were  rising 
from  the  bed  of  the  river,  and  all  reflected  upon  the  surface 
of  the  water,  heightened  the  grandeur  of  its  effect,  and 
helped  to  make  it  unlike  anything  on  earth,  save  what  we 
might  imagine  to  transpire  in  and  over  the  deep  and  yawn 
ing  crater  of  a  huge  volcano  in  the  midst  of  its  midnight 
eruption. 

This  wonderful  scene  lasted  for  half  an  hour,  and  when 
the  last  flash  died  away,  all  eyes  like  our  own  seemed  to 
turn  away  from  the  smoking  desolation  that  seemed  to  be 


INDIANS  IN  A  CROWD  OF  NOBILITY.  237 

left  below,  and  the  dense  mass  was  dividing  and  pouring 
off  in  streams  through  the  various  streets  and  avenues, 
some  seeking  their  homes  with  their  little  children,  and 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  others,  to  revel  away  the  night 
amidst  the  brilliant  illuminations  and  innocent  amusements 
of  the  Champs  Elysees. 

We  turned  our  eyes  at  that  moment  from  the  scene,  and, 
in  turning  around,  found  ourselves  blockaded  by  a  phalanx 
of  officers  in  gold  lace  and  cocked  hats,  and  ladies,  attaches 
of  the  royal  household,  Deputies,  Peers  of  France,  and  other 
distinguished  guests  of  the  Royal  Family,  who  had  been 
viewing  the  scene  from  other  windows  of  the  Palace,  and 
had  now  gathered  in  our  rooms  to  look  at  "  les  Peaux 
Rouges."  My  good  friend  M.  Vattemare  was  present  on 
this  occasion,  and  of  great  service  to  us  all,  as  there  were  in 
this  crowd  the  incumbents  of  several  high  offices  under  the 
Crown,  and  others  of  distinction  with  whom  he  was  acquainted, 
and  to  whom  he  introduced  us  all,  converting  the  rooms  and 
the  crowd  in  a  little  time  into  a  splendid  soiree,  where  conver 
sation  and  refreshments  soon  made  all  easy  and  quite  happy. 

The  servants  of  the  Duke's  household  conducted  us  into 
the  several  apartments,  explaining  the  paintings  and  other 
works  of  art,  and  also  took  us  into  the  Duke's  bedchamber, 
where  were  the  portraits  of  himself  and  the  Duchess,  and 
others  of  the  Royal  Family.  There  was,  we  learned,  in  another 
part  of  the  Palace,  a  grand  bal  on  that  evening,  and  that 
accounted  for  the  constant  crowds  of  fashionable  ladies  and 
gentlemen  who  were  pouring  into  our  apartments,  and  who 
would  have  continued  to  do  so  in  all  probability  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  night  had  we  not  taken  up  the  line  of 
march,  endeavouring  to  make  our  way  to  our  carriages  on 
our  way  home.  This  was  for  some  time  exceedingly  difficult, 
as  we  had  a  succession  of  rooms  and  halls  to  pass  through 
before  we  reached  the  top  of  the  staircase,  all  of  which  were 
filled  with  a  dense  mass  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  who  had 
got  information  that  the  loway  Indians  were  in  the  Duke's 
apartments,  and  were  then  making  their  way  there  to  get  a 


238  JIM'S  ATTEMPT  TO  TRADE. 

peep  at  them.  We  crowded  and  squeezed  through  this 
mass  as  well  as  we  could,  and  were  all  laughing  at  Jim's 
remarks  as  \ve  passed  along.  He  thought  the  people  had 
all  left  the  King  and  Queen  to  see  the  Indians.  "  Come  see 
Ingins  "  (said  he  in  English)  "  at  Salle  Valentino — see  em 
dance — better  go  back,  see  King,,  see  Queen — Ingins  no 
good."  Mr.  Melody  gave  the  poor  fellow  the  first  idea  that 
his  words  were  thrown  away,  as  these  people  were  all  French, 
and  did  not  understand  English  ;  so  Jim  said,  "  I  spose  em 
no  buy  Bible  then?"  and  began  to  whistle.  We  soon 
descended  the  grand  escalier,  and,  taking  our  carriages, 
were  in  a  few  minutes  entering  the  Indians'  apartments  in 
Salle  Valentino. 

Jim  got  home  a  little  provoked,  as  the  Doctor  was  show 
ing  a  very  handsome  eyeglass  which  had  been  presented  to 
him  :  two  or  three  of  the  women  had  also  received  presents 
in  money  and  trinkets,  but  Jim's  wife,  as  well  as  himself, 
was  amongst  the  neglected  or  overlooked.  He  then  took 
out  of  his  pouch  and  throwing  it  down  upon  the  table  one  of 
his  beautiful  gilt  bound  little  Bibles,  and  said,  "  Me  no  sell 
em."  "  Did  you  try,  Jim  ?"  "  Yes,  me  try  em,  but  me  no  sell 
em — folks  call  em  Onglaisc.  Onglaise  no  good,  I  guess,  I  no 
sell  em."  Poor  Jim!  he  looked  quite  chapfallen  at  the 
moment,  and  much  more  so  when  Daniel  afterwards  told 
him  that  he  ought  to  have  had  an  auction  or  other  sale  of 
his  Bibles  before  he  left  England,  for  the  French  didn't  care 
much  about  Bibles,  and  if  they  did  they  wouldn't  buy  his,  for 
they  were  in  the  English  language,  which  they  could  not 
read.  Jim's  regrets  were  now  very  great,  to  think  they  had 
so  little  oversight  as  to  come  away  without  thinking  to  make 
some  conversion  of  them  into  ready  cash.  Daniel  told  him, 
however,  that  he  thought  there  would  be  nothing  lost  on 
them,  as  they  would  sell  better  in  America  than  they  would 
have  sold  in  England,  and  he  had  better  pack  them  away 
until  they  went  home. 

The  conversation  running  upon   Bibles,  Jim  was  asked, 
as  there  was  some  sympathy  expressed  for  him,  how  many 


CONVERSATION  ON  THE  FETE.  239 

he  and  his  wife  had,  to  which  he  replied,  "  I  no  know — I 
guess  a  heap."  It  was  in  a  few  moments  ascertained  more 
correctly  from  his  wife,  who  had  the  immediate  charge  of 
them,  that  they  had  twenty-eight,  and  the  account  soon 
returned  from  the  whole  party,  that  in  all  they  had  received 
about  120  since  they  arrived  in  England. 

They  took  their  suppers,  which  were  ready  when  they 
got  back,  and  their  chickdbobboo  (vin  rouge)  with  their  pipe, 
and  engaged  M.  Vattemare  for  some  time  to  explain  the 
meaning  of  the  many  beautiful  decorations  they  had  seen 
worn  on  the  breasts  and  shoulders  of  the  officers  they  had 
met  in  the  palace.  The  explanations  of  these  things  pleased 
them  very  much :  as  to  the  fireworks,  they  said  that  wras  such 
great  medicine  to  them,  that  they  did  not  care  about  talking 
on  the  subject  until  they  had  taken  more  time  to  think. 

Just  as  M.  Vattemare  and  I  were  about  to  leave  the 
room,  I  found  Jim  and  the  Doctor  interrogating  Daniel 
about  the  "  big  guns  that  spoke  so  loud  :  they  thought 
they  must  have  very  large  mouths  to  speak  so  strong,"  and 
were  anxious  to  see  them.  Daniel  told  them  that  those 
which  made  the  loudest  noise  were  at  the  Hospital  of  the 
Invalides,  and  it  was  then  agreed  that  they  should  go  there 
the  next  day  to  see  them. 

Jim  said  they  had  all  been  delighted  at  what  Daniel  read 
in  his  paper  about  their  going  before  the  King  and  Queen, 
and  that  he  must  be  sure  to  bring  the  paper  at  an  early 
hour  the  next  morning,  to  let  them  hear  what  was  said 
about  the  Indians  being  in  the  palace  the  second  time,  and 
in  the  rooms  of  the  Duke,  to  see  the  fireworks. 

The  rest  of  their  evening  was  taken  up  in  "thinking" 
on  what  they  had  seen,  and  the  next  morning,  as  he  had 
promised,  Daniel  came  in  with  the  paper  and  read  a  long 
account  of  the  amusements  of  the  day  and  evening,  and  also 
of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  in  the  crowd  who  moved 
along  in  front  of  the  Duke  d'Aumale's  apartments  to  look 
at  the  Indians,  in  preference  to  look  at  the  King  and  the 
Queen.  It  was  decided  (as  he  read)  that  the  crowd  was 


240  GOLD  MEDALS  FROM  THE  KING. 

much  more  dense  and  remained  at  a  much  later  hour  in 
front  of  that  wing  of  the  palace  than  in  front  of  the  balcony, 
where  the  Royal  Family  and  the  orchestra  of  music  were. 
This  pleased  them  all  very  much  ;  and  after  their  breakfasts, 
while  they  were  yet  in  this  cheerful  train  of  feelings,  the 
young  man  who  had  brought  them  the  money  from  the  King 
made  his  appearance,  and  I  was  instantly  sent  for.  On 
arriving  I  was  informed  by  him  that  he  had  come  from  his 
Majesty  with  the  gold  and  silver  medals,  to  be  presented 
in  his  Majesty's  name  to  each  one  individually.  This  an 
nounced,  the  Indians  of  course  put  all  other  occupations 
aside,  and,  being  all  seated  on  the  floor,  at  the  request 
of  the  chief,  the  medals  were  called  out  by  the  inscriptions 
on  them  and  presented  accordingly.  The  first  presented 
was  a  gold  medal  to  White  Cloud,  the  chief:  the  inscription 
on  the  back  of  it  read  thus  :— 

"  Donne  a  Mu-ltu-she-kaw,  par  le  Roi:   1845." 

The  next  presented  was  to  the  War-chief — a  gold  medal 
of  equal  size,  and  inscription  in  the  same  form.  Silver 
medals,  of  equal  size  with  inscriptions,  were  then  presented 
to  all  the  warriors  and  women  and  children.  This  last  part 
of  the  list,  women  and  children,  seemed  to  startle  them  a 
little.  The  idea  of  women  and  children  receiving  medals 
was  entirely  new  to  them,  and  put  them  quite  at  a  stand. 
There  was  no  alternative  but  to  take  them,  and  be  thank 
ful  for  them  ;  but  it  seemed  curious  enough  to  them — a 
subject  not  to  be  named,  however,  until  the  messenger  had 
departed  with  their  thanks  to  his  Majesty  for  his  kindness. 
This  was  done  by  the  War-chief,  and  the  gentleman  de 
parted. 

The  old  Doctor  and  Wa-ton-ye,  the  two  unmarried  men  of 
the  party,  were  the  only  ones  who  seemed  to  show  anything 
like  decided  dissatisfaction  in  their  faces,  though  Jim  and 
Little  Wolf  were  fumbling  theirs  over  in  their  fingers,  evi 
dently  in  a  struggle  of  feeling  whether  to  be  dissatisfied  or 
not.  The  Little  Wolf  was  a  warrior  of  decided  note,  who 


THE  DOCTOR'S  MEDITATIONS.  ^4 

had  taken  several  scalps,  and  his  wife  had  never  taken  one, 
and  yet  her  medal  was  equal  to  his  own  ;  however,  by  the 
operation  he  had  got  two  medals  instead  of  one.  Jim  felt 
a  little  touched,  and,  though  never  having  done  much  more 
in  war  than  his  squaw  had,  was  preparing  to  make  a  great 
harangue  on  the  occasion,  and  even  rolled  over  on  his  back, 
and  drew  up  his  knees,  for  the  purpose,,  but,  taking  the 
shining  metal  from  his  wife's  hands,  and  placing  it  by  the 
side  of  his  own,  he  thought  they  would  form  a  beautiful 
ornament,  both  hanging  together,  symbolic  of  an  affectionate 
husband  and  wife,  and  he  was  silent.  The  poor  old  Doctor, 
though,  who  had  taken  one  prisoner  certain,  and  possibly  some 
scalps,  and  (as  the  old  War-chief  had  one  day  told  him)  un 
doubtedly  "  many  lives,'1  who  could  only  dangle  one  medal 
(having  no  wife),  and  that  one  no  better  than  those  given 
to  the  women  and  children,  lost  all  traces  of  the  complaisant 
smiles  that  had  shone  on  his  face  a  little  time  before,  and, 
rising  suddenly  up,  and  wrapping  his  robe  around  him,  he 
found  his  way  to  the  house-top,  where  he  stood  in  silent  gaze 
upon  the  chimneys  and  tiles,  more  suited  to  the  medita 
tions  that  were  running  through  his  troubled  mind.  Wa- 
ton-ya,  in  the  mean  time,  with  smothered  feelings  that  no 
one  ever  heard  vent  given  to,  hung  his  with  its  tri- coloured 
ribbon  upon  a  nail  in  the  wall  just  over  his  head,  and,  draw 
ing  his  buffalo  robe  quite  over  him,  hid  his  face,  and  went 
to  sleep. 

White  Cloud  and  the  War-chief  sat  during  the  while, 
with  their  families  hanging  about  their  shoulders  and  knees, 
well  pleased,  and  smiling  upon  the  brightness  of  his  Ma 
jesty's  familiar  features  in  shining  gold,  as  they  turned  their 
medals  around  in  various  lights.  Theirs  were  of  a  more 
precious  metal,  and  each,  from  the  number  of  his  family 
with  him,  became  the  owner  of  three,  instead  of  one,  over 
which  the  poor  Doctor  was  yet  pondering  on  the  house-top, 
as  he  stood  looking  off  towards  the  mountains  and  prairies. 

When  their  carriages  were  at  the  door,  to  make  their 
visit  to  the  Hopital  des  Invalides,  as  promised  the  night 

VOL.  n.  R 


VISIT  TO  THE  INVALIDS. 

before,  the  Doctor  was  unwilling  to  break  the  charm  of 
his  contemplations,,  and  Wa-ton-ye  could  not  be  waked,  and 
the  rest  drove  off  in  good  cheer  and  delight.  They  hung 
their  medals  on  their  necks,  suspended  by  their  tri-coloured 
ribbons,  the  meaning  of  which  having  been  explained  to 
them,  and  they  were  soon  at  the  mouths  of  the  huge  cannon, 
whose  "  big  mouths"  had  "  spoken  so  loudly"  the  night 
before. 

After  taking  a  good  look  at  them,  and  getting  something 
of  their  curious  history,  they  entered  that  wonderful  and  most 
noble  institution,  an  honour  to  the  name  of  its  founder  and  to 
the  country  that  loves  and  upholds  it,  the  Hospital  of  Invalids. 
Nothing  on  earth  could  have  struck  these  people  as  more 
curious  and  interesting  (a  race  of  warriors  themselves)  than 
this  institution,  with  its  3800  venerable  inmates,  the  living 
victims  of  battles,  wounded,  crippled,  fed,  and  clothed,  and 
made  happy,  the  living  evidences  of  the  human  slaughter 
that  must  have  taken  place  in  the  scenes  they  had  been 
through.  If  this  scene  convinced  them  of  the  destructive- 
ness  of  civilized  modes  of  warfare,  it  taught  them  an  useful 
lesson  of  civilized  sympathy  for  those  who  are  the  unfortu 
nate  victims  of  war  and  carnage. 

The  moral  that  was  drawn  from  this  day's  visit  was  an 
important  one  to  them,  and  I  took  the  opportunity,  and 
many  others  afterwards,  to  impress  it  upon  their  minds.  It 
pleased  them  to  hear  that  these  old  veterans,  with  one  leg 
and  one  arm,  were  the  very  men  who  were  chosen  to  come 
to  the  big  guns,  and  fire  them  off,  on  the  day  of  the  King's 
fete — the  same  guns  that  they  fought  around,  and  over,  when 
they  were  taking  them  from  the  enemies. 

Returning  from  the  "  Invalides"  our  carriages  were  stopped 
in  Place  Concorde  for  a  view  of  the  beautiful  fountains 
playing,  which  pleased  and  astonished  them,  as  they  do  all 
foreigners  who  pass.  The  Egyptian  obelisk  column  of  Luxor, 
of  seventy-two  feet,  in  one  solid  piece  of  granite,  and  brought 
from  Egypt  to  Paris,  was  shown  and  explained  to  them, 
and  our  carriage  driven  to  the  ground  where  the  guillotine 


AN  UGLY  WOMAN.  243 

bad  stood  on  which  the  blood  of  Kings  and  Queens  had  been 
shed,  and  where  the  father  of  Louis  Philippe  was  beheaded. 
These  extraordinary  and  almost  incredible  facts  of  history, 
and  that  so  recent,  filled  their  minds  with  amazement,  and 
almost  with  incredulity.  Our  drive  that  day  was  continued 
through  the  broad  avenue  of  the  Champs  Elysees  to  the 
triumphal  arch  at  the  Barriere  d'Etoile,  and  our  view  from 
the  top  of  it  was  one  of  the  finest  they  thought  in  the 
world.  We  were  not  quite  as  high  as  when  we  were  on  the 
tower  of  the  York  cathedral,  but  the  scene  around  us  was 
far  more  picturesque  and  enchanting. 

When  we  returned  we  found  the  old  Doctor  and  Wa- 
ton-ye  seated  upon  their  buffalo  robes,  and  playing  at  cards, 
quite  in  good  humour,  and  their  medals  put  away,  as  if 
nothing  had  happened  to  put  them  out.  They  were  much 
amused  at  the  descriptions  of  what  the  others  had  seen,  and 
particularly  so  at  Jim's  description  of  an  ugly  woman  he 
saw  on  top  of  the  Arc  de  Triomphe,  and  who  followed  him 
around,  he  said,  and  looked  him  in  the  face  until  he  was 
frightened.  Here  the  Doctor,  who  had  been  out  of  humour, 
and  was  disposed  to  be  a  little  severe  on  Jim,  replied  that  "  it 
was  laughable  for  such  an  ill-looking,  big-mouthed  fellow 
as  him  to  be  talking  about  any  one's  ill  looks,  and  to  be 
alarmed  at  any  one's  ugliness,  looking  out  over  such  a  set  of 
features  as  he  had  on  the  lower  part  of  his  face."  Jim, 
however,  having  two  medals,  took  but  little  notice  of  the 
Doctor's  severity,  but  proceeded  to  tell  about  the  ugly 
woman  he  saw.  lie  said,  "  her  eyes  had  all  the  time  two 
white  rings  clear  around  them,  and  the  end  of  her  nose  turn 
ing  up,  as  if  she  had  always  smelled  something  bad,  had 
pulled  her  upper-lip  up  so  high  that  she  could  not  shut  her 
mouth  or  cover  her  teeth.  She  had  two  great  rows  of 
teeth,  and  there  was  black  all  between  them,  as  if  a  charge 
of  gunpowder  had  gone  off  in  her  mouth,  and  her  skin  was 
as  white  as  snow,  excepting  on  her  cheeks,  and  there  it  was 
(juite  red,  like  a  rose." 

R>2 


244  JIM  AND  THE  ENGLISHWOMEN. 

''Stop,  stop,  Jim/'  said  I,  "let  me  write  that  down 
before  you  go  any  further." 

But  this  was  all.  He  said  he  could  not  bear  to  look  at 
her,  and  therefore  he  did  not  examine  her  any  further.  He 
also  made  some  fun  about  two  English  ladies,  who  were  up 
there  when  they  were  on  the  Arc  de  Triomphe.  He  said, 
"  he  had  sat  down  by  the  side  of  the  railing  with  his  wife, 
where  these  ladies  came  to  them.  One  of  them  asked  if 
they  could  speak  English,  to  which  he  made  no  reply,  but 
shook  his  head.  He  said  they  had  a  great  many  things  to 
say  about  him,  and  one  of  them  wanted  to  feel  his  face  (his 
chin,  he  supposed),  to  see  if  he  had  any  beard ;  and  when 
she  did  not  find  any,  she  said  something  which  he  did  not 
understand,  but  he  said  it  tickled  them  very  much,  and 
then  he  said  she  put  her  hand  on  his  shoulder,  which  was 
naked,  and  took  hold  of  his  arm,  and  said  several  things, 
about  which  they  had  a  great  deal  of  laugh,  which  he  un 
derstood,  and  which  he  would  not  like  to  mention,  for  his 
wife  did  not  understand  them,  and  he  did  not  wish  her  to 
know  what  they  were  laughing  about." 

The  hour  having  approached  for  their  afternoon's  exhibi 
tion,  the  conversation  was  here  broken  off.  1  was,  however, 
obliged  to  delay  a  few  minutes  for  some  account  they  wished 
me  to  give  them  of  the  guillotine,  which  I  had  spoken  of 
while  in  the  Place  Concorde.  I  briefly  described  it  to  them, 
and  they  all  expressed  a  wish  to  go  some  day  and  see  it, 
and  I  promised  to  take  them. 

The  exhibition  in  the  afternoon  was  attended  by  many 
more  fashionable  ladies  and  gentlemen  than  that  of  the  even 
ing  ;  and  so  many  carriages  driving  up  to  the  door,  in  a  plea 
sant  day,  was  always  sure  to  put  the  Doctor  into  the  best  of 
humour,  and  generally,  when  he  was  in  such  a  mood,  there 
would  be  wit  and  drollery  enough  in  him,  and  his  good 
friend  Jim,  to  influence  the  whole  group.  They  were 
usually  in  good  spirits,  and,  when  so,  were  sure  to  please ; 
and  thus  were  they  on  that,  the  first  of  their  morning's 


LITERARY  AND  FASHIONABLE  VISITORS.  245 

entertainments  ;  and  it  happened  luckily,  for  we  had  in  the 
rooms  some  of  the  most  fashionable  and  literary  personages 
of  Paris — amongst  these,  the  famous  writers,  Victor  Hiujo, 
Madame  Georges  Sands,  and  several  others,  to  whom  the 
Indians  and  myself  were  personally  introduced. 

The  old  Doctor  was  told  by  M.  Vattemare,  who  was 
a^ain  there,  to  do  his  best,  and  all  did  their  parts  admirably 
well,  and  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the  ladies,  several  of 
which  old  dames  I  found  had  really  supposed,  until  now, 
that  the  "  sauvages"  were  little  more  than  wild  beasts. 
After  the  Indians  had  finished  their  amusements  and  retired 
from  the  rooms,  /  was  left  lion  again  and  "  lord  of  all  the 
visitors  were  now  surveying."  Then  it  was  that  my  em 
barrassment  came,  losing  in  a  great  measure  the  pleasure 
that  I  could  have  drawn  from  the  society  of  such  persons 
who  came  to  praise,  by  not  speaking  the  French  language. 

However,  I  had  generally  the  benefit  of  my  friend  M. 
Vattemare  or  others  around  me  ready  to  help  me  through 
the  difficulty.  It  gave  me  daily  pleasure  to  find  that  my 
works  were  highly  applauded  by  the  press,  as  well  as  by 
personal  expressions  in  the  room,  and  in  all  the  grades  ot 
society  to  which  I  was  then  being  invited. 

Our  second  evening  soon  approached,  and  we  found  the  hall 
fashion  ably  filled  again,  and  of  course  the  Indians,  though  in 
a  strange  country,  in  good  spirits  and  gratified,  as  their  very 
appearance  while  entering  the  room  got  them  rounds  of 
applause.  After  their  exhibition  was  over  in  the  usual 
way  I  got  my  applause,  and  so  our  mutual  efforts  were  daily 
and  nightly  made  to  instruct  and  amuse  the  Parisians, 
which  I  shall  always  natter  myself  we  did  to  a  considerable 
extent. 

While  our  exhibitions  were  now  in  such  a  train,  we  were 
studying  how  to  make  the  most  valuable  use  of  our  extra 
time,  by  seeing  the  sights  of  Paris  and  its  environs. 

The  Louvre  was  one  of  the  first  objects  of  our  attention  ; 
and  having  procured  an  order  from  the  Director  to  visit  it 


246  VISIT  TO  THE  LOUVRE. 

on  a  private  day,  we  took  an  early  hour  and  made  our  entry 
into  it.  We  were  received  by  the  Director  with  kindness., 
and  he  conducted  the  party  the  whole  way  through  the  dif 
ferent  galleries,  pointing  out  and  explaining  to  them  and  to 
us  the  leading  and  most  interesting  things  in  it. 

The  Director,  M.  de  Cailleux,  had  invited  several  of 
his  distinguished  friends  to  meet  him  on  the  occasion,  and 
it  was  to  them,  as  well  as  to  us,  interesting  to  see  the  In 
dians  under  such  circumstances,  where  there  was  so  much 
to  attract  their  attention  and  calculated  to  surprise  them. 
M.  Vattemare  was  with  us  on  this  occasion,  and  of  very 
great  service  in  his  introductions  and  interpretations  for 
us.  Amongst  the  distinguished  persons  who  were  pre 
sent,  and  to  whom  I  was  introduced  on  the  occasion,  was 
the  Baron  de  Humboldt.  He  accompanied  us  quite 
through  the  rooms  of  the  Louvre,  and  took  a  great  deal  of 
interest  in  the  Indians,  having  seen  and  dealt  with  so  many 
in  the  course  of  his  travels.  I  had  much  conversation  with 
him,  and  in  a  few  days  after  was  honoured  by  him  with  a 
private  visit  to  my  rooms,  when  I  took  great  pleasure  in 
explaining  the  extent  and  objects  of  my  collection. 

The  view  of  the  Louvre  was  a  great  treat  to  the  Indians, 
who  had  had  but  little  opportunity  before  of  seeing  works 
of  art.  In  London  we  thought  we  had  showed  them  all 
the  sights,  but  had  entirely  forgotten  the  exhibitions  of  paint 
ings  ;  and  I  believe  the  poor  fellows  had  been  led  to  think, 
before  they  saw  the  Louvre,  that  mine  was  the  greatest 
collection  of  paintings  in  the  world.  They  had  a  great  deal 
of  talk  about  it  when  they  got  home  and  had  lit  their  pipe. 
The  one  great  objection  they  raised  to  it  was,  that  "  it  was 
too  long — there  were  too  many  things  to  be  seen  ;  so  many 
that  they  said  they  had  forgotten  all  the  first  before  they  got 
through,  and  they  couldn't  think  of  them  again."  There 
was  one  impression  they  got  while  there,  however — that  no 
length  of  room  or  number  of  pictures  would  easily  eradi 
cate  from  their  memories.,  the  immense  number  of  marks  of 


ILLNESS  OF  THE  WIFE  OF  LITTLE  WOLF.  247 

bullets  on  the  columns  of  the  portico,  and  even  inside  of  the 
building,  shot  through  the  windows  in  the  time  of  the  Hevo- 
lution  of  July.  This  appalling  scene  was  described  to  them 
on  the  spot  by  M.  Vattemare,  which  opened  their  eyes  to  an 
historical  fact  quite  new  to  them,  and  of  which  they  soon 
taxed  him  and  me  for  some  further  account. 

The  poor  fellows  at  this  time  were  beginning  to  sym 
pathize  with  the  noble  fellow  the  Little  Wolf,  whose  wife  had 
been  for  some  weeks  growing  ill,  and  was  now  evidently  de 
clining  with  symptoms  of  quick  consumption.  The  buoyant 
spirits  of  the  good  and  gallant  fellow  seemed  to  be  giving 
way  to  apprehensions;  and  although  he  joined  in  the 
amusements,  he  seemed  at  times  dejected  and  unhappy. 
There  were  days  when  her  symptoms  seemed  alarming,  and 
then  she  would  rally  and  be  in  the  room  again  in  all  the 
finery  of  her  dress  and  trinkets,  but  was  evidently  gradually 
losing  strength  and  flesh,  and  decided  by  her  physician  to 
be  in  a  rapid  decline.  She  was  about  this  time  advised  to 
keep  to  her  chamber  and  away  from  the  excitement  of  the 
exhibition  and  sight-seeing,  in  which  the  rest  of  the  party 
were  daily  engaged, 

By  this  time  the  loways  had  made  so  much  noise  in 
Paris  that  they  were  engaging  the  attention  of  the  scientific, 
the  religious,  and  the  ethnologic,  as  well  as  the  mere  curious 
part  of  the  world,  and  daily  and  almost  hourly  applications 
were  being  made  to  Mr.  Melody  and  myself  for  private 
interviews  with  them  for  the  above  purposes.  We  were 
disposed  to  afford  every  facility  in  our  power  in  such  cases, 
but  in  all  instances  left  the  Indians  to  decide  who  they 
Avould  and  who  they  would  not  see. 

Amongst  those  applicants  there  was  a  phrenologist,  who 
had  been  thrusting  himself  into  their  acquaintance  as  much 
as  possible  in  their  exhibition  rooms,  and  repeatedly  solicit 
ing  permission  to  go  to  their  private  rooms  to  make  some 
scientific  examinations  and  estimates  of  their  heads,  to 
which  the  Indians  had  objected,  not  understanding  the 
meaing  or  object  of  his  designs.  He  had  become  very  im- 


248  A  PHRENOLOGIST'S  VISIT. 

portunate  however,  and,  having  brought  them  a  number  of 
presents  at  different  times,  it  was  agreed  at  Mr.  Melody's 
suggestion,  one  day,  as  the  quickest  way  of  getting  rid  of 
him,  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  come  up.  We  conversed 
with  the  Indians,  and  assured  them  that  there  was  not  the 
slightest  chance  of  harm,  or  witchcraft,  or  anything  of  the 
kind  about  it,  and  they  agreed  to  let  him  come  in.  They 
had  a  hearty  laugh  when  he  came  in,  at  Jim's  wit,  who  said 
to  him,  though  in  Indian  language  that  he  didn't  understand, 
"If  you  will  shut  the  door  now,  you  will  be  the  ugliest- 
looking  man  in  the  whole  room."  This  was  not,  of  course, 
translated  to  the  phrenologist,  who  proceeded  with  his  ex 
aminations,  and  commenced  on  Jim's  head  first.  Jim  felt  a 
little  afraid,  and  considerably  embarrassed  also,  being  the 
first  one  called  upon  to  undergo  an  operation  which  he 
knew  so  little  about,  or  what  was  to  be  the  result  of.  Stout, 
and  warlike,  and  courageous  as  he  was,  he  trembled  at  the 
thought  of  a  thing  that  he  could  not  yet  in  the  least  appre 
ciate,  and  all  were  looking  on  and  laughing  at  him  for  his 
embarrassment.  The  phrenologist  proceeded,  feeling  for 
the  bumps  around  his  head,  and,  stopping  once  in  a 
while  to  make  his  mental  deductions,  would  then  run  his 
fingers  along  again.  Jim's  courage  began  to  rally  a  little, 
seeing  that  there  was  to  be  nothing  more  than  that  sort  of 
manipulation,  and  he  relieved  himself  vastly  by  turning  a 
little  of  his  wit  upon  the  operator,  for  a  thing  that  looked 
to  him  so  exceedingly  ridiculous  and  absurd,  by  telling  him 
"  I  don't  think  you'll  find  any  in  my  head  ;  we  Indians  shave 
a  great  part  of  our  hair  off,  and  we  keep  so  much  oil  in  the 
rest  of  it,  that  they  won't  live  there  :  you  will  find  much 
more  in  white  men's  heads,  who  don't  oil  their  hair."  This 
set  the  whole  party  and  all  of  us  in  a  roar,  and  Jim's  head 
shook  so  as  to  embarrass  the  operator  for  a  little  time. 
When  he  got  through,  and  entered  his  estimates  in  his  book, 
Jim  asked  him  "  if  he  found  anything  in  his  head  ?"  to  which 
he  replied  in  the  affirmative.  Placing  his  fingers  on  "  self- 
esteem,'  he  said  there  was  great  fulness  there.  "Well,"  said 


THE  PHRENOLOGIST'S  HEAD  EXAMINED.  4 

Jim, 4i  I'm  much  obliged  to  you  :  I'll  set  my  wife  to  look  there 
by  and  by.  And  now,"  said  Jim,  "take  the  old  Doctor 
here  :  his  head  is  full  of  em."  By  this  time  Jim's  jokes  had 
got  us  all  into  a  roar  of  laughter.,  and  the  Doctor  was  in  the 
chair,  and  Jim  looking  on  to  see  what  he  could  discover. 
White  Cloud  thought  Jim  had  cracked  his  jokes  long 
enough,  and  as  they  had  all  laughed  at  them,  he  considered 
it  most  respectful  now  to  let  the  man  go  through  with  it.  So 
he  finished  with  the  Doctor  and  then  with  White  Cloud  and 
the  War-chief,  and  when  he  came  to  the  women  they  posi 
tively  declined. 

Jim,  having  been  rebuked  for  laughing  too  much,  had 
stopped  suddenly,  and,  instantly  resolving  to  try  his  jokes 
upon  the  poor  man  in  another  mood,  assumed,  as  he  easily 
could,  the  most  treacherous  and  assassin  look  that  the 
human  face  can  put  on,  and  asked  the  phrenologist  if  he 
was  done,  to  which  he  replied  "  Yes."  "  Now,"  said  Jim, 
"  we  have  all  waited  upon  you  and  given  you  a  fair  chance, 
and  I  now  want  you  to  sit  down  a  minute  and  let  me  exa 
mine  your  head;"  at  the  same  time  drawing  his  long  scalp 
ing  knife  out  from  his  belt,  and  wiping  its  blade  as  he  laid 
it  in  a  chair  by  the  side  of  him.  The  phrenologist,  having 
instantly  consented,  and  just  taking  possession  of  the  chair 
as  he  was  drawing  his  knife  out,  could  not  well  do  otherwise 
than  sit  still  for  Jim's  operations,  though  he  was  evidently 
in  a  greater  trepidation  than  he  had  put  Jim  into  by  the 
.first  experiment  that  was  made.  Jim  took  the  requisite 
time  in  his  manipulations  to  crack  a  few  jokes  more  among 
his  fellow  Indians  upon  the  quackery  of  his  patient,  and  then 
to  let  him  up,  telling  him,  for  the  amusement  of  those  around, 
that  "his  face  looked  very  pale"  (which  by  the  way  was 
the  case),  "  and  that  he  found  his  head  very  full  of  them." 

The  phrenologist  was  a  good-natured  sort  of  man,  and, 
only  partially  understanding  their  jokes,  was  delighted  to  get 
off  with  what  he  had  learned,  without  losing  his  scalp-lock, 
which  it  would  seem  as  if  he  had  apprehended  at  one 
moment  to  have  been  in  some  danger.  As  he  was  leaving 


250  VISIT  OF  PRIESTS. 

the  room,  Daniel  came  in,  announcing  that  there  were  two 
Catholic  clergymen  in  the  room  below,  where  they  had  been 
waiting  half  an  hour  to  have  some  talk  with  the  Indians. 
"  Let  them  up,"  says  Jim  ;  "I  will  make  a  speech  to  them  :" 
at  which  the  old  Doctor  sprang  up.  "  There,"  said  he, 
"  there's  my  robe  ;  lay  down  quick."  The  Doctor's  wit  raised 
a  great  laugh,  but,  when  a  moment  had  blown  it  away,  Mr. 
Melody  asked  the  chief  what  was  his  wish,  whether  to  see 
them  or  not.  "  Oh  yes,"  said  he  (but  rather  painfully,  and 
with  a  sigh)  ;  "yes,  let  them  come  in  :  we  are  in  a  strange 
country,  and  we  don't  wish  to  make  any  enemies  :  let  them 
come  up."  They  were  then  conducted  up  and  spent  half 
an  hour  in  pleasant  conversation  with  the  chiefs,  without 
questioning  them  about  their  religion,  or  urging  their  own 
religion  upon  them.  This  pleased  the  Indians  very  much, 
and,  finding  them  such  pleasant  and  social  good-natured 
men,  they  felt  almost  reluctant  to  part  company  with  them. 
Each  of  them  left  a  handsome  Bible  as  presents,  and  took 
affectionate  leave. 

After  they  had  left,  the  Indians  had  much  talk  about 
them,  and  were  then  led  to  think  of  "  the  good  people,"  the 
Friends,  they  had  seen  so  many  of  in  England  and  Ireland, 
and  asked  me  if  they  should  find  any  of  them  in  Paris.  I 
told  them  I  thought  they  would  not,  at  which  they  were 
evidently  very  much  disappointed. 

One  of  the  next  sight-seeing  expeditions  was  to  the 
Jar  din  des  Plantes,  to  which  our  old  friend  M.  Vattemare 
accompanied  us.  The  animals  here,  from  a  difference  of 
training,  or  other  cause,  were  not  quite  so  much  alarmed  as 
they  were  in  the  menagerie  in  London;  but  when  the 
doctor  breathed  out  the  silvery  notes  of  his  howling  totem } 
the  wolf  at  once  answered  him  in  a  remote  part  of  the  garden. 
Jim  imitated  the  wild  goose,  and  was  answered  in  an  instant 
by  a  cackling  flock  of  them.  The  panthers  hissed,  and  the 
hyaenas  were  in  great  distress,  and  the  monkeys  also  :  the 
eagles  chattered  and  bolted  against  the  sides  of  their  cages, 
and  the  parrots  lost  their  voices  by  squalling,  and  many  of 


THE  HALLE  AUX  VINS. 

their  feathers  by  fluttering,  when  the  Indians  came  within 
their  sight.  They  pitied  the  poor  old  and  jaded  buffalo,  as 
they  did  in  London,  he  looked  so  broken-spirited  and  de 
solate  ;  and  also  the  deer  and  the  elks  ;  but  the  bears  they  said 
didn't  seem  to  care  much  about  it.  They  were  far  more  de 
lighted  with  the  skins  of  animals,  reptiles,  and  fishes  in  the 
museum  of  natural  history ;  and  I  must  say  that  /was  also, 
considering  it  the  finest  collection  I  ever  have  seen. 

The  garden  of  plants  was  amusement  enough  for  an  hour 
or  so,  and  then  to  the  Halle  aux  Vins  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood.  This  grand  magazine  of  chickabobboo  has 
been  described  by  many  writers,  and  no  doubt  seen  by  many 
who  read,  but  few  have  seen  the  expression  of  amazement 
upon  the  brows  of  a  party  of  wild  Indians  from  the  forest  of 
America,  while  their  eyes  were  running  over  the  vast  and 
almost  boundless  lines  of  800,000  casks  of  wine  under  one 
roof,  and  heard  the  piercing  war-whoop  echoing  and  vibrat 
ing  through  their  long  avenues,  raised  at  the  startling 
information  that  20,000,000  of  gallons  of  this  are  annually 
drawn  out  of  this  to  be  drunk  in  the  city  of  Paris ;  and  few 
of  those  who  heard  it  knew  whether  it  was  raised  to  set  the 
wine  running,  or  as  a  note  of  exultation  that  they  had  found 
a  greater  fountain  of  chickabobboo  than  the  brewery  they 
were  in,  in  London.  However  true  the  latter  was,  the  first 
was  supposed  to  have  been  the  design,  and  it  must  needs 
have  its  effect.  A  few  bottles,  in  kindness  and  hospitality 
cracked,  cooled  all  parched  and  parching  lips,  and  our  faithful 
timepieces  told  us  our  engagement  with  the  public  was  at 
hand,  and  we  laid  our  course  again  for  the  Salle  Valentino. 

''  Oh  !  what  a  glorious  country,"  said  Jim,  as  we  were  roll 
ing  along  ;  "  there's  nothing  like  that  in  London  :  the  chick 
abobboo  is  better  here,  and  there's  more  of  it  too."  Poor 
ignorant  fellow  !  he  was  not  aware  that  the  brewery  they  saw 
in  London  was  only  one  of  some  dozens,  and  that  the  wine  in 
all  those  casks  they  had  just  seen  was  not  quite  as  delicious 
as  that  with  which  his  lips  had  just  been  moistened. 

With  their  recollections  dwelling  on  the  scenes  they  had 


252  PEBE  LA  CHAISE. 

witnessed  in  London,  they  were  naturally  drawing  compari 
sons  as  they  were  wending  their  way  back  ;  and  they  had  in 
this  mood  taken  it  into  their  heads  that  there  were  no  gin- 
shops  in  Paris,  as  they  could  see  none,  which  was  quite 
mysterious  to  them,  until  I  explained  to  them  the  nature 
of  the  cafes,  the  splendid  open  shops  they  were  every  mo 
ment  passing,  glittering  with  gold  and  looking-glasses. 
They  were  surprised  to  learn  that  the  delicious  poison  was 
dealt  out  in  these  neat  "  palaces,"  but  which  they  had  not 
knowrn  or  suspected  the  meaning  of.  They  admitted  their 
surprise,  and  at  once  decided  that  "  they  liked  the  free,  and 
open,  and  elegant  appearance  of  them  much  better  than 
those  in  London,  where  they  are  all  shut  up  in  front  with 
great  and  gloomy  doors,  to  prevent  people  from  looking  into 
them,  as  if  they  were  ashamed." 

The  cemetery  of  Pere  la  Chaise  was  next  to  be  seen  as 
soon  as  there  should  be  a  fine  day :  that  day  arrived,  and 
half  an  hour's  drive  landed  us  at  its  entrance. 

This  wonderful  place  has  been  described  by  many  travel 
lers,  and  therefore  needs  but  a  passing  notice  here.  This 
wilderness  of  tombs,  of  houses  or  boxes  of  the  dead,  thrown 
and  jumbled  together  amidst  its  gloomy  cypress  groves  and 
thickets,  is  perhaps  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  scenes  of 
the  kind  in  the  world:  beautiful  in  some  respects,  and 
absurd  and  ridiculous  in  others,  it  is  still  one  of  the  wonders 
of  Paris,  and  all  who  see  the  one  must  needs  visit  the  other. 
The  scene  was  one  peculiarly  calculated  to  excite  and 
please  the  Indians.  The  wild  and  gloomy  and  almost  end 
less  labyrinths  of  the  little  mansions  of  the  dead  were  pleas 
ing  contrasts  to  their  imprisonment  within  the  dry  and 
heated  walls  of  the  city ,  the  varied  and  endless  designs  that 
recorded  the  places  and  the  deeds  of  the  dead  were  themes 
of  amusement  to  them,  and  the  subject  altogether  one  thai 
filled  their  minds  with  awe,  and  with  admiration  of  the 
people  who  treated  their  dead  with  so  much  respect. 

We  wandered  for  an  hour  through  its  intricate  mazes  of 
cypress,  examining  the  tombs  of  the  rich  and  the  poor  so 


NUMEROUS  TOMBS.  253 

closely  and  curiously  grouped  together — a  type,  even  in  the 
solitudes  of  death,  of  the  great  Babylon  in  which  their  days 
had  been  numbered  and  spent.  Whilst  we  were  strolling 
through  the  endless  mazes  of  this  sub-rosa  city,  we  met  an 
immense  concourse  of  people,  evidently  bearing  the  body  of 
some  distinguished  person  to  the  grave.  The  pompous  dis 
play  of  mourning  feathers  and  fringes,  &c.,  with  hired 
mourners,  was  matter  of  some  surprise  to  the  Indians ;  but 
when  a  friend  of  the  deceased  stepped  forward  to  pronounce 
an  eulogium  on  his  character,  recounting  his  many  virtues 
and  heroic  deeds,  it  reminded  the  Indians  forcibly  of  the 
custom  of  their  own  country,  and  they  all  said  they  liked  to 
see  that. 

We  took  them  to  the  patched  and  vandalized  tomb  of 
Abelard  and  Eloisa  ;  but  as  there  was  not  time  for  so  long  a 
story,  it  lost  its  interest  to  them.  They  were  evidently  struck 
with  amazement  at  the  system  and  beauty  of  this  place,  and 
from  that  moment  decided  that  they  liked  the  French  for 
the  care  they  took  of  their  old  soldiers  and  the  dead. 

The  poor  fellows,  the  Indians,  who  were  now  proceeding 
daily  and  nightly  with  their  exciting  and  "astonishing"  ex 
hibitions,  were  becoming  so  confounded  and  confused  with 
the  unaccountable  sights  and  mysteries  of  Paris  which  they 
were  daily  visiting,  that  they  began  to  believe  there  was  no 
end  to  the  curious  and  astonishing  works  of  civilized  man  ; 
and,  instead  of  being  any  longer  startled  with  excitement  and 
wonder,  decided  that  it  would  be  better  to  look  at  every 
thing  else  as  simple  and  easy  to  be  made  by  those  that  know 
how,  and  therefore  divested  of  all  further  curiosity.  This 
they  told  me  they  had  altogether  resolved  upon  :  "  they  had 
no  doubt  there  were  yet  many  strange  things  for  them  to  see 
in  Paris,  and  they  would  like  to  follow  me  to  see  them  all ; 
but  they  would  look  with  their  eyes  only  half  open,  and  not 
trouble  us  with  their  surprise  and  their  questions. 

With  these  views,  and  their  eyes  "  half  open,  "  then,  they 
still  took  their  daily  drives,  and  Mr.  Melody  or  myself,  in 
constant  company,  stopping  to  show  them,  and  to  see  our- 


254  SCHOOL  OF  MEDICINE  AND  FOUNDLING. 

selves,  what  was  yet  new  and  wonderful  to  be  seen.  There 
was  still  much  to  be  seen  in  Paris,  and  the  poor  Indians  were 
a  great  way  from  a  complete  knowledge  of  all  the  tricks  and 
arts  of  civilization. 

A  drive  to  the  School  of  Medicine  and  the  Hdpital  des 
Enfans  Trouves  was  enough  for  one  morning's  recreation. 
The  first,  with  "Dupuytrens  Room,"  was  enough  to  open 
the  old  Doctor's  eyes,  and  the  latter,,  with  its  6000  helpless 
and  parentless  infants  added  to  it  annually,  sufficient  to 
swell  the  orbs  of  Jim,  and  make  him  feel  for  his  note 
book.  The  School  of  Medicine,  with  Dupuytren's  Room, 
forms  one  of  the  most  surprising  sights  to  be  seen  in  Paris, 
and  yet,  save  with  the  Doctor,  there  seemed  to  be  but  little 
interest  excited  by  the  sight.  The  Doctor's  attitude  was  one 
of  studied  dignity  and  philosophic  conceit  as  he  stood  before 
those  wonderful  preparations,  not  to  be  astonished,  but  to 
study  as  a  critic,  while  he  fanned  himself  with  his  eagle's  tail. 
The  expression  of  his  face,  which  was  the  whole  time  un 
changed,  was  one  of  a  peculiar  kind,  and,  as  it  was  not 
sketched  at  the  time,  must  be  for  ever  lost. 

The  novel  and  pitiful  sight  of  the  thousands  of  innocent 
little  creatures  in  the  Foundling  Hospital  seemed  to  open 
the  "half-closed  eyes"  and  the  hearts  of  the  Indians,  not 
withstanding  the  resolutions  they  had  made.  When  it  was 
explained  to  them  how  these  little  creatures  came  into  the 
world,  and  then  into  this  most  noble  institution,  and  also 
that  in  the  last  year  there  had  been  born  in  the  city  of 
Paris  26,000  children,  9000  of  whom  were  illegitimate,  their 
eyes  were  surely  open  to  the  astounding  facts  of  the  vices  of 
civilized  society,  and  of  the  virtue  of  civilized  governments 
in  building  and  maintaining  such  noble  institutions  for  the 
support  of  the  fatherless  and  helpless  in  infancy,  as  well  as 
for  the  veterans  who  have  been  maimed  in  the  fields  of 
glorious  battle.  When  I  told  them  that,  of  those  thousands 
of  little  playful  children,  not  one  knew  any  other  parent 
than  the  Government,  they  groaned  in  sympathy  for 
them,  and  seemed  at  a  loss  to  abhor  or  applaud  the  most, 


INDIANS'  IDEAS  OF  THE  GUILLOTINE.  255 

the  sins  of  man  that  brought  them  into  the  world,  or 
the  kind  and  parental  care  that  was  taken  of  them  by  the 
Government  of  the  country.  Jim  made  a  sure  demand  upon 
Daniel's  kindness  for  the  entry  of  these  important  facts, 
which  he  soon  had  in  round  and  conspicuous  numbers  in  his 
note-book,  to  teach  to  the  "  cruel  and  relentless  Indians." 

The  sentimentalism  and  sympathy  of  the  poor  old  Doctor 
were  touched  almost  to  melancholy  by  this  scene  ;  and  in  his 
long  and  serious  cogitations  on  it  he  very  gravely  inquired 
why  the  thousands  of  women  leading  and  petting  little  dogs 
in  the  streets  could  not  be  induced  to  discharge  their  dogs, 
and  each  one  take  a  little  child  and  be  its  mother?  He 
said,  if  he  were  to  take  a  Frenchwoman  for  his  wife,  he 
would  rather  take  her  with  a  little  child,  even  if  it  were  her 
own,  than  take  her  with  a  little  dog. 

The  guillotine,  which  happened  to  be  in  our  way,  and 
which  they  had  been  promised  a  sight  of,  they  thought  was 
more  like  a  Mississippi  saw-mill  than  anything  else  they  had 
seen.  It  drew  a  murmur  or  two  when  explained  to  them 
how  the  victim  was  placed,  and  his  head  rolled  off  when  the 
knife  fell,  but  seemed  to  have  little  further  effect  upon 
them  except  when  the  actual  number  was  mentioned  to 
them  whose  heads  are  there  severed  from  their  bodies 
annually,  for  their  crimes  committed  in  the  streets  and 
houses  of  Paris,  Our  stay  before  this  awful  and  bloody 
machine  was  but  short,  and  of  course  their  remarks  were 
few,  until  they  got  home,  and  their  dinner  was  swallowed, 
and  their  chickabobloo,  and,  reclining  on  their  buffalo  robes, 
the  pipe  was  passing  around. 

Their  conversation  was  then  with  Daniel,  who  had  been  but 
the  day  before  to  see  the  very  same  things,  and  they  gained 
much  further  information  than  we  did,  which  he  communi 
cated  to  them.  He  entered  in  Jim's  book,  as  he  had  desired, 
the  numbers  of  the  illegitimates  &&&  foundlings  of  Paris,  which 
seemed  to  be  a  valuable  addition  to  his  estimates  of  the 
blessings  of  civilization;  and  also  the  number  of  annual 
victims  whose  heads  roll  from  the  side  of  the  guillotine. 


256  HANGING  AND  BEHEADING. 

His  book  was  then  closed,  and  a  curious  discussion  arose 
between  the  Indians  and  Daniel,  whether  the  gallows,  which 
they  had  seen  in  the  prisons  in  England  and  Ireland,  was  a 
preferable  mode  of  execution  to  that  of  the  guillotine,  which 
they  had  just  been  to  see.  They  had  no  doubt  but  both  of 
them,  or,  at  least,  that  one  or  the  other  of  them  was  abso 
lutely  necessary  in  the  civilized  world ;  but  the  question 
was,  which  was  the  best.  Daniel  contended  that  the  pu 
nishment  which  was  most  ignominious  was  best,  and  con 
tended  for  the  gallows,  while  the  Indians  thought  the 
guillotine  was  the  best.  They  thought  that  death  was  bad 
enough,  without  the  Government  trying  to  add  to  its  pang 
by  hanging  people  up  by  the  neck  with  a  rope,  as  the 
Indians  hang  dogs.  From  this  grave  subject,  which  they 
did  not  seem  to  settle,  as  there  was  no  umpire,  they  got 
upon  a  somewhat  parallel  theme,  and  were  quite  as  seriously 
engaged,  when  I  was  obliged  to  leave  them,  whether  it 
would  be  preferable  to  be  swallowed  whole  by  a  whale,  or  to  be 
chewed.  Daniel  was  referring  to  Scripture  for  some  authority 
on  this  subject,  by  looking  into  one  of  Jim's  Bibles,  when 
Mr.  Melody  and  I  were  apprised  of  an  appointment,  which 
prevented  us  from  ever  hearing  the  result. 

The  next  promise  we  had  to  keep  with  them  was  the  one 
that  had  been  made  to  take  them  to  see  the  fountain  of  all 
the  pretty  and  ugly  little  dogs  and  huge  mastiffs  they  saw 
carried  and  led  through  the  streets  of  Paris — the  "  Dog 
Market." 

The  Dog  Hospital,  being  en  route,  was  visited  first  ;  and 
though  one  could  scarcely  imagine  what  there  could  be 
there  that  was  amusing  or  droll,  still  the  old  Doctor  in 
sisted  on  it  that  it  must  be  very  interesting,  and  all  resolved 
to  go.  It  was  even  so,  and  on  that  particular  occasion  was 
rendered  very  amusing,  when  the  Doctor  entered,  with  Jim 
and  the  rest  following.  The  squalling  of  "  There  !  there  ! 
there !"  by  the  frightened  parrots  in  Cross's  Zoological 
Gardens  bore  little  comparison  to  the  barking  and  yelling 
of  i(  les  petits  pauvres  chiens,"  and  the  screams  of  the  old 


DOG  HOSPITAL  AND  DOG  MARKET.  257 

ladies — "  Ne  les  effrayez  pas,  Messieurs,  s'il  vous  plait !  ils 
sont  tous  malades — tous  malades  :  pauvrcs  betes!  pauvres 
betes !"  It  was  soon  perceived  that  the  nerves  of  the 
poor  little  "  malades/'  as  well  as  those  of  the  old  women 
their  doctors,  were  too  much  affected  to  stand  the  shock, 
and  it  was  thought  best  to  withdraw.  The  old  Doctor, 
getting  just  a  glance  at  the  sick-wards,  enough  to  convince 
him  of  the  clean  comforts  these  little  patients  had,  and 
seeing  that  their  physicians  were  females,  and  also  that  the 

wards   were  crowded  with  fashionable   ladies  looking  and 

& 

inquiring  after  the  health  of  their  little  pets,  he  was  quite 
reluctant  to  leave  the  establishment  without  going  fairly 
in  and  making  his  profession  known,  which  he  had  thought 
would,  at  least,  command  him  some  respect  amongst  female 
physicians.  He  had  some  notion  for  this  purpose  of  going  in 
alone,  but  sarcastic  Jim  said  the  whole  fright  of  the  poor 
dogs  had  been  produced  by  his  appearance ;  to  which  the 
Doctor  replied  that  they  only  barked  because  Jim  was 
coming  behind  him.  However,  our  visit  was  necessarily 
thus  short,  and  attention  directed  to  the  Dog  Market,  for 
which  Jim  was  more  eager,  as  he  had  a  special  object.  This 
was  a  curiosity,  to  be  sure,  and  well  worth  seeing  ;  there 
was  every  sort  of  whelp  and  cur  that  could  be  found  in 
Christendom,  from  the  veriest  minimum  of  dog  to  the  state 
liest  mastiff  and  Newfoundland ;  and,  at  Jim  and  the 
Doctor's  approach,  hundreds  of  them  barked  and  howled, 
.many  broke  their  strings,  some  laid  upon  their  backs,  and 
yelled  (no  doubt,  if  one  could  have  understood  their  lan 
guage)  that  they  never  saw  before  in  their  lives  so  ill- 
looking  and  frightful  a  couple,  and  so  alarming  a  set  as 
those  who  were  following  behind  them.  Jim  wanted  to 
buy,  and,  the  business-meaning  of  his  face  being  discovered, 
there  were  all  sorts  of  offers  made  him,  and  every  kind  of 
pup  protruded  into  his  face;  but  the  barking  of  dogs  was 
such  that  no  one  could  be  heard,  and  then  many  a  poor  dog 
wras  knocked  flat  with  a  broom,  or  whatever  was  handiest, 
and  others  were  choked,  to  stop  their  noise.  No  one 


258  BOBASHEELA  ARRIVES  FROM  LONDON. 

wanted  to  stand  the  din  of  this  canine  Bedlam  longer  than 
was  necessary  for  Jim  to  make  his  choice,  which  the  poor 
fellow  was  endeavouring  to  do  with  the  greatest  despatch 
possible.  His  mode  was  rather  different  from  the  ordinary 
mode  of  testing  the  qualities  he  was  looking  for,  which  was 
by  feeling  of  the  ribs ;  and  having  bargained  for  one  that 
he  thought  would  fit  him,  the  lookers-on  were  somewhat 
amused  at  his  choice.  He  made  them  understand  by  his 
signs  that  they  were  going  to  eat  it,  when  the  poor  woman 
screamed  out,  "  Diable  !  mange  pas  !  mange  pas! — venez, 
venez,  ma  pauvre  bete  !" 

The  crowd  by  this  time  was  becoming  so  dense  that  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  be  on  the  move,  and  off.  The 
Doctor  became  exceedingly  merry  at  Jim's  expense,  as  he 
had  come  away  without  getting  a  dog  for  their  Dog  Feast, 
of  which  they  had  been  for  some  time  speaking. 

On  their  return  from  this  day's  drive,  they  met,  to  their 
very  great  surprise,  their  old  friend  Bobasheela,  who  had 
left  his  business  and  crossed  the  Channel  to  see  them  once 
more  before  they  should  set  sail  for  America.  He  said  he 
could  not  keep  away  from  them  long  at  a  time  while  they 
were  in  this  country,  because  he  loved  them  so  much.  They 
were  all  delighted  to  see  him,  and  told  him  he  was  just  in 
time  to  attend  the  Dog  Feast,  which  they  were  going  to 
have  the  next  day.  The  Doctor  told  him  of  Jim's  success 
in  buying  a  dog,  and  poor  Jim  was  teazed  a  great  deal 
about  his  failure.  Bobasheela  told  them  all  the  news  about 
England,  and  Jim  and  the  Doctor  had  a  long  catalogue  to 
give  him  of  their  visit  to  the  King — of  their  medals — their 
visits  to  the  great  fountain  of  chickabobboo  and  the 
Foundling  Hospital,  all  of  which  he  told  him  he  had  got 
down  in  his  book.  All  this  delighted  Bobasheela,  until  they 
very  imprudently  told  him  that  they  liked  Paris  much  better 
than  London.  They  told  him  that  the  people  in  Paris  did 
not  teaze  them  so  much  about  religion  ;  tliat  there  were 
fewer  poor  people  in  the  streets ;  and  that  as  yet  they  had 
kept  all  their  money,  for  they  had  seen  nobody  poor  enough 


JIM'S  COMMENTS  ON  FRENCHWOMEN.  259 

to  give  it  to.  Their  chickabobboo  was  very  different,  but 
it  was  about  as  good.  The  guillotine  they  were  very  well 
satisfied  with,  as  they  considered  it  much  better  to  cut 
men's  heads  off  than  to  hang  them  up,  like  dogs,  by  a  rope 
around  the  neck.  This,  and  keeping  men  in  prison  because 
they  owe  money,  they  considered  were  the  two  most  cruel 
things  they  heard  of  amongst  the  English. 

Bobasheela  replied  to  them  that  he  was  delighted  to  hear 
of  their  success,  and  to  learn  that  they  had  seen  the  King, 
an  honour  he  should  himself  have  been  very  proud  of.  He 
told  them  that  he  never  had  seen  the  King,  but  that, 
while  travelling  in  Kentucky  many  years  ago,  he  was  close 
upon  the  heels  of  the  King,  and  so  near  him  that  he  slept  on 
the  same  (not  bed,  but)  floor  in  a  cabin  where  the  King  had 
slept,  with  his  feet  to  the  fire,  but  a  short  time  before.  This 
was  something  quite  new  to  the  Indians,  and,  like  most  of 
Bobasheela  s  stories  of  the  Far  West,  pleased  them  ex 
ceedingly. 

Jim,  who  was  a  matter-of-fact  man,  more  than  one  of  fancy 
and  imagination,  rather  sided  with  Bobasheela,  and,  turning 
to  his  round  numbers  last  added  to  his  book,  of  "9000  ille 
gitimate  children  born  in  Paris  in  the  last  year,"  asked  his 
friend  if  he  could  read  it,  to  which  he  replied  u  Yes." 
"Well,"  said  Jim,  in  broad  English,  "some  fish  there,  I 
guess,  ha?  1  no  like  em  Frenchwomen — I  no  like  em:  no 
good  !  I  no  like  em  so  many  children,  no  fader !''  We 
all  saw  by  Jim's  eye,  and  by  the  agitation  commencing,  that 
he  had  some  ideas  that  were  coming  out,  and  at  the  instant 
he  was  turning  over  on  to  his  back,  and  drawing  up  his 
knees,  and  evidently  keeping  his  eyes  fixed  on  some  object 
on  the  ceiling  of  the  room,  not  to  lose  the  chain  of  his 
thoughts,  and  he  continued  (not  in  English,  for  he  spoke  more 
easily  in  his  own  language),  "  I  do  not  like  the  French 
women.  I  did  not  like  them  at  first,  when  I  saw  them 
leading  so  many  dogs.  I  thought  then  that  they  had  more 
dogs  than  children,  but  I  think  otherwise  now.  We  believe 
that  those  women,  who  we  have  seen  leading  their  dogs 

s  4J 


260 


CHILDREN  AND  DOGS. 


around  with  strings,  have  put  their  children  away  to  be 
raised  in  the  great  house  of  the  Government,  and  they  get 
these  little  dogs  to  fill  their  places,  and  to  suck  their  breasts 
when  they  are  full  of  milk." 

"  Hut — tut — tut !"  said  Melody/' you  ill-mannerly  fellow  ! 
what  arc  you  about?  You  will  blow  us  all  up  here,  Jim,  if 
you  ulter  such  sentiments  as  those.  I  think  the  French 
ladies  the  finest  in  the  world  except  the  Americans,  and  if 
they  heard  such  ideas  as  those,  advanced  by  us,  they  would 
soon  drive  us  out  of  Paris." 

"Yes,"  said  Jim  (in  English  again),  "yes,  I  know — I 
know  you  like  em — may  be  very  good,  but  you  see  I  no  like 
em !"  In  his  decided  dislike,  Jim's  excitement  was  too 
great  for  his  ideas  to  flow  smoothly  any  further,  and  Mr. 
Melody  not  disposed  to  push  the  argument,  the  subject  was 
dropped,  and  preparations  made  for  the  day  exhibition,  the 
hour  for  which  was  at  hand. 


(    261     ) 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

La  Morgue — The  Catacombs — The  Doctor's  dream — 'Their  great  alarm — 
Visit  to  the  Hippodrome — Jim  riding  M.  Franconi's  horse — Indians  in 
the  Woods  of  Boulogne — Fright  of  the  rabbits — Jim  and  the  Doctor  at 
the  Bal  Mabille,  Champs  Elysees — At  the  Masquerade,  Grand  Opera — 
Their  opinions  and  criticisms  on  them — Frenchwomen  at  confession  in  St. 
Roch — Doctor's  ideas  of  it — Jim's  speech — "  Industrious  fleas" — Death 
of  the  wife  of  Little  Wolf — Her  baptism — Husband's  distress — Her  fune 
ral  in  the  Madeleine  —  Her  burial  in  Montmartre — Council  held — Indians 
resolve  to  return  to  America — Preparations  to  depart  in  a  few  days — 
JEiobasheela  goes  to  London  to  ship  their  boxes  to  New  York — He  returns, 
and  accompanies  the  Indians  to  Havre — Indians  take  leave  of  Chippehola 
(the  Author) — M.  Vattemare  accompanies  them  to  Havre — Kindly 
treated  by  Mr.  Winslow,  an  American  gentleman,  at  Havre — A  splen 
did  dinner,  and  (Queen's}  Chickabobboo — Indians  embark — Taking  leave 
of  Bobasheela — Illness  of  the  Author's  lady — His  alarm  and  distress — 
Her  death — Obituary — Her  remains  embalmed  and  sent  to  New  York. 

AFTER  their  exhibition  was  over,  and  they  had  taken  their 
dinner  and  chickabobboo  (at  the  former  of  which  they  had 
had  the  company  of  their  old  friend  Bobasheela),  their  pipe 
was  lit,  and  the  conversation  resumed  about  the  French 
ladies,  for  whom  Jim's  dislike  was  daily  increasing,  and 
with  his  dislike,  his  slanderous  propensity.  He  could  not 
divest  his  mind  of  the  9000  illegitimate  and  abandoned 
little  babies  that  he  had  seen.,  and  the  affection  for  dogs, 
which,,  instead  of  exposing,  they  secure  with  ribbons, 
and  hold  one  end  in  their  hands,  or  tie  it  to  their  apron- 
strings.  This  was  a  subject  so  glaring  to  Jim's  imagination, 
that  he  was  quite  fluent  upon  it  at  a  moment's  warning, 
even  when  standing  up  or  sitting,  without  the  necessity  of 
resorting  to  his  usual  and  eccentric  attitude.  This  facility 
caused  him  to  be  more  lavish  of  his  abuse,  and  at  every 
interview  in  the  rooms  he  seemed  to  be  constantly  frowning 


THE  CATACOMBS— THE  DOCTOR'S  DUE  AM. 

upon  the  ladies,  and  studying  some  new  cause  for  abusing 
them,  and  drawing  Mr.  Melody  and  the  Doctor  into  debates 
when  they  got  back  to  their  own  apartments.  Such  was  the 
nature  of  the  debate  he  had  just  been  waging,  and  which 
he  had  ended  in  his  usual  way,  with  the  last  word  to  him 
self,  "  I  no  care;  me  no  like  em." 

The  subject  was  here  changed,  however.,  by  Mr.  Melody's 
reminding  them  that  this  day  was  the  time  they  had  set 
to  visit  the  Morgue  and  the  Catacombs,  for  which  an  order 
had  been  procured.  These  had  been  the  favourite  themes 
for  some  days ;  and  there  had  been  the  greatest  impatience 
expressed  to  go  and  see  the  naked  dead  bodies  of  the 
murdered  &ndfelo-de-scs  daily  stretched  out  in  the  one,  and 
the  five  millions  of  skulls  and  other  human  bones  that  are 
laid  up  like  cobhouses  under  great  part  of  the  city.  Boba- 
sheela  had  described  to  them  the  wonders  of  this  awful  place, 
which  he  had  been  in  on  a  former  occasion,  and  Daniel  had 
read  descriptions  from  books  while  the  Indians  had  smoked 
many  a  pipe  ;  but  when  the  subject  was  mentioned  on  this 
occasion,  there  were  evident  proofs  instantly  shown  that 
some  influence  had  produced  a  different  effect  upon  their 
minds,  and  that  they  were  no  longer  anxious  to  go.  M. 
Vattemare,  in  speaking  of  the  Catacombs  a  few  days  before, 
had  said  that  about  a  year  ago  two  young  men  from  the 
West  Indies  came  to  Paris,  and,  getting  an  order  to  visit  the 
Catacombs,  entered  them,  and,  leaving  their  guide,  strolled 
so  far  away  that  they  never  got  out,  and  never  have  been 
found,  but  their  groans  and  cries  are  still  often  heard  under 
different  parts  of  the  city.  But  the  immediate  difficulty 
with  the  Indians  was  a  dream  the  Doctor  had  had  the 
night  before,  and  which  he  had  been  relating  to  them.  He 
had  not,  he  said,  dreamed  anything  about  the  Catacombs, 
but  he  had  seen  See-catch-e-wee-be,  the  one-eyed  wife  of  the 
"fire-eater"  (a  sorcerer  of  their  tribe),  who  had  followed 
his  track  all  the  way  to  the  great  village  of  the  whites 
(London),  and  from  that  to  Paris,  where  he  saw  her  sitting 
on  a  bridge  over  the  water  ;  that  she  gave  him  a  pair  of 


ALARM  OF  THE  INDIANS.  263 

new  mocassins  of  moose-skin,  and  told  him  that  the  Gitchee 
Maidtou  (the  Great  Spirit)  had  been  very  kind  in  not  allow 
ing  him  and  Wash-ka-mon-ya  (Jim)  to  go  under  the  ground  in 
the  Great  Village  of  the  Whites,  in  England,  and  their  lives 
were  thereby  saved.  She  then  went  under  an  old  woman's 
basket,  who  was  selling  apples,  and  disappeared.  He  could 
not  understand  why  he  should  have  such  a  vision  as  this  the 
very  night  before  they  were  to  go  underground  to  the  Cata 
combs,  unless  it  was  to  warn  him  of  the  catastrophe  that 
might  befall  them  if  they  were  to  make  their  visit  there,  as 
they  had  designed.  They  had  smoked  several  pipes  upon 
this  information  early  in  the  morning,  and  the  chiefs  had 
closely  questioned  him  and  also  consulted  him  as  their 
oracle  in  all  such  cases,  and  had  unanimously  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  these  were  foreboding  prognostications  suffi 
cient  to  decide  it  to  be  at  least  prudent  to  abandon  their 
project,  and  thereby  be  sure  to  run  no  hazard.* 

Mr.  Melody  and  myself  both  agreed  that  their  resolve 
placed  them  on  the  safe  side  at  all  events,  and  that  we 
thought  them  wise  in  making  it  if  they  saw  the  least  cause 
for  apprehension.  "  They  could  easily  run  to  the  river, 
however,  in  their  drive,  and  see  the  other  place,  the 
Morgue;'"'  but  that  could  not,  on  any  account,  be  under 
taken,  as  the  two  objects  had  been  planned  out  for  the  same 
visit  ;  and,  from  the  Doctor's  dream,  it  did  not  appear  in 
the  least  certain  in  which  of  the  places  they  were  liable  to 
incur  the  risk,  and  therefore  they  thought  it  best  not  to 
go  to  either.  There  was  a  great  deal  yet  to  see  above 
ground,  and  quite  as  much  as  they  should  be  able  to  see  in 
the  little  time  they  had  yet  to  remain  there,  and  which  would 


*  The  place  they  had  escaped  in  the  great  village  of  the  whites  they 
had  been  told  was  a  Hell.  It  had  been  explained  to  them,  however,  that 
there  were  several  of  those  places  in  London,  and  that  they  were  only  imi 
tations  of  hell,  but  they  seemed  to  believe  that  these  catacombs  (as  there 
were  so  many  millions  of  the  bones  of  Frenchmen  gone  into  them)  might 
be  the  real  hell  of  the  pale-faces,  and  it  was  best  to  run  no  risk. 


VISIT  TO  THE  HIPPODROME. 

be  much  pleasanter  to  look  at  than  white  men's  bones  under 
ground. 

Their  minds  were  filled  with  amazement  on  this  wonderful 
subject ;  but  their  curiosity  to  see  it  seemed  quite  stifled 
by  the  Doctor's  dream,  and  the  subject  for  the  present 
was  dropped,  with  a  remark  from  Jim,  "that  he  was  not 
sure  but  that  this  accounted  for  the  white  people  digging 
up  all  the  Indians'  graves  on  the  frontiers,  and  that  their 
bones  were  brought  here  and  sold."  The  Catacombs  were 
thus  left  for  Daniel  and  myself  to  stroll  through  at  our 
leisure,  and  the  Indians  were  contented  with  the  sketch  1 
made,  which,  with  Daniel's  account,  put  them  in  possession, 
of  the  principal  features  of  that  extraordinary  and  truly 
shocking  place. 

As  their  visit  to  the  Catacombs  arid  the  Morgue  was  aban 
doned,  we  resolved  to  drive  through  the  Champs  Elysees 
and  visit  the  woods  of  Boulogne,  the  favourite  drive  of  the 
Parisians,  and  probably  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world. 
We  had  been  solicited  by  M.  Franconi,  of  the  Hippo 
drome,  to  enter  into  an  arrangement  with  him  to  have  the 
Indians  unite  in  his  entertainments  three  days  in  the  week, 
where  their  skill  in  riding  and  archery  could  be  seen  to  great 
advantage,  and  for  which  he  would  be  willing  to  offer  liberal 
terms.  He  had  invited  us  to  bring  the  Indians  down,  at 
all  events,  to  see  the  place;  and  we  agreed  to  make  the 
visit  to  M.  Franconi  on  our  way  to  the  woods  of  Boulogne. 
The  view  was  a  private  one,  known  only  to  a  few  of  his 
friends,  who  were  present,  and  his  own  operatic  troupe.  We 
were  very  civilly  and  politely  received;  and,  all  walking 
to  the  middle  of  his  grand  area,  he  proposed  to  make  us 
the  offer,  on  condition  that  the  Indians  were  good  riders,, 
which  I  had  already  assured  him  was  the  case,  and  which 
seemed  rather  difficult  for  him  to  believe,  as  they  had  so 
little  of  civilization  about  them.  As  the  best  proof,  how 
ever,  he  proposed  to  bring  out  a  horse,  and  let  one  of  them 
try  and  show  what  he  could  do.  This  we  agreed  to  at  once; 
and,  having  told  the  Indians  before  we  started  that  we 


JIM  RIDES  FRANCONl'S  HORSE.  265 

should  make  no  arrangement  for  them  there  unless  they 
were  pleased  with  it  and  preferred  it,  they  had  decided,  on 
entering  the  grounds,  that  the  exercises  would  be  too 
desperate  and  fatiguing  to  them  and  destructive  to  their 
clothes,  and  therefore  not  to  engage  with  him.  However,  the 
horse  was  led  into  the  area  and  placed  upon  the  track  for 
their  chariot- races,  which  is  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in 
circumference ;  and,  the  question  being  put,  i(  Who  will 
ride?"  it  \vas  soon  agreed  that  Jim  should  try  it  first. 
"Wai,  me  try  em,"  said  Jim;  "me  no  ride  good,  but  rne 
try  em  little."  He  was  already  prepared,  with  his  shield 
and  quiver  upon  his  back  and  his  long  and  shining  lance  in 
his  hand.  The  horse  was  held ;  though,  with  all  its  train 
ing,  it  was  some  time,  with  its  two  or  three  grooms  about  it, 
before  they  could  get  the  frightened  creature  to  stand 
steady  enough  for  Jim  to  mount.  In  the  first  effort  which 
they  thought  he  was  making  to  get  on,  they  were  surprised 
to  find  that  he  was  ungirthing  the  saddle,  which  he  flung 
upon  the  ground,  and,  throwing  his  buffalo  robe  across  the 
animal's  back  and  himself  astride,  the  horse  dashed  off  at 
his  highest  speed.  Jim  saw  that  the  animal  was  used  to  the 
track,  and,  the  course  being  clear,  he  leaned  forward  and 
brandished  his  lance,  and,  every  time  he  came  round  and 
passed  us,  sounded  a  charge  in  the  shrill  notes  of  the 
war-whoop.  The  riding  was  pleasing  and  surprised  M. 
Franconi  exceedingly,  and  when  he  thought  it  was  about 
time  to  stop  he  gave  his  signal  for  Jim  to  pull  up,  but, 
seeing  no  slack  to  the  animal's  pace,  and  Jim  still  brandish 
ing  his  weapons  in  the  air  and  sounding  the  war-whoop  as 
he  passed,  he  became  all  at  once  alarmed  for  the  health  of 
his  horse.  The  Indians  at  this  time  were  all  in  a  roar  of 
laughter,  and  the  old  gentleman  was  placing  himself  and  his 
men  upon  the  track  as  Jim  came  round,  with  uplifted  arms, 
to  try  to  stop  the  animal's  speed,  just  finding  at  that  time 
that  Jim  had  rode  in  the  true  prairie  style,  without  using 
the  bridle,  and  which,  by  his  neglect  of  it,  had  got  out  of 
his  reach,  when  he  would  have  used  it  to  pull  up  with.  Jim 


266  VISIT  TO  THE  BOIS  DE  BOULOGNE. 

still  dashed  by  them,  brandishing  his  lance  as  they  came  in 
his  way  :  when  they  retreated  and  ran  to  head  him  in  another 
place,  he  there  passed  them  also,  and  passed  them  and  me 
naced  them  again  and  again  as  he  came  around.  The  alarm 
of  the  poor  old  gentleman  for  the  life  of  his  horse  became 
very  conspicuous,,  and,  with  additional  efforts  with  his  men, 
and  a  little  pulling  up  by  Jim,  who  had  at  length  found  the 
rein,,  the  poor  affrighted  and  half-dead  animal  was  stopped, 
and  Jim,  leaping  off,  walked  to  the  middle  of  the  area, 
where  we  were  in  a  group,  laughing  to  the  greatest  excess 
at  the  fun.  The  poor  horse  was  near  done  over,  and 
led  away  by  the  grooms  M.  Franconi  came  and  merely 
bade  us  good-by,  and  was  exceedingly  obliged  to  us. 
Whether  the  poor  animal  died  or  not  we  never  heard,  but 
Jim  was  laid  up  for  several  days.  On  asking  him  why  he 
ran  the  horse  so  hard,  he  said  it  was  the  horse's  fault,  that 
"it  ran  away  with  him  the  moment  he  was  on  its  back- 
that  the  creature  was  frightened  nearly  to  death  ;  and  he 
thought,  if  it  preferred  running,  he  resolved  to  give  it 
running  enough."  The  Doctor  told  him  he  acted  impru 
dently  in  getting  on,  which  had  caused  all  the  trouble. 
"In  what  way?"  inquired  Jim.  "Why,  by  letting  the 
animal  see  that  ugly  face  of  yours;  if  you  had  hid  it  till  you 
were  on,  there  would  have  been  no  trouble." 

We  were  all  obliged  to  laugh  at  the  Doctor's  wit ;  and 
having  taken  leave  of  the  polite  old  gentleman,  we  were 
seated  in  our  carriages  again  for  a  drive  through  the  woods 
of  Boulogne. 

In  the  midst  of  these  wild  and  truly  beautiful  grounds 
the  Indians  and  all  got  down  for  a  stroll.  The  native  wildness 
of  the  forests  and  jungle  seemed  in  a  moment  to  inspire 
them  with  their  wild  feelings,  which  had,  many  of  them, 
long  slumbered  whilst  mingling  amidst  the  crowds  of  civil 
ization,  and  away  they  leapt  and  bounded  among  the 
trees  in  their  wild  and  wonted  amusements.  Their  shrill 
yells  and  the  war-whoop  were  soon  lost  in  the  distant 
thickets  which  they  penetrated,  and  an  hour  at  least 


THE  "INDUSTRIOUS  FLEAS."  267 

elapsed  before  they  could  all  be  gathered  together  and  pre 
pared  to  return.  Their  frightful  yells  had  started  up  all 
the  rabbity  that  were  unbur rowed  in  the  forests ;  and  whilst 
hundreds  were  bounding  about,  and  many  taking  to  the 
open  fields  for  escape.,  they  encompassed  one,  and  with  their 
united  screams  had  scared  it  to  death.  This  they  assured 
us  was  the  case,  as  they  brought  it  in  by  the  legs,  without 
the  mark  of  any  weapon  upon  it. 

Few  scenes  in  Paris,  if  any,  had  pleased  them  more  than 
this,  and  in  their  subsequent  drives  they  repeatedly  paid 
their  visits  to  the  "  woods  of  Boulogne." 

On  their  return  home  poor  Jim  lay  down,  complaining 
very  much  of  lameness  from  his  hard  ride  on  Franconi's 
horse,  which  he  knew  would  prevent  him  from  dancing  for 
some  days,  as  he  was  getting  very  stiff,  and  afraid  he  would 
not  be  well  enough  to  go  and  see  the  "  Industrious  Fleas  " 
(as  they  were  called),  where  he  and  the  Doctor  and  Jeffrey 
had  arranged  to  go  with  Daniel  and  several  young  Ameri 
can  acquaintance,  who  had  decided  it  to  be  one  of  the 
choicest  little  sights  then  to  be  seen  in  Paris,  and  which 
from  all  accounts  is  an  exhibition  of  female  nudities  in  living 
groups,  ringing  all  the  changes  on  attitude  and  action 
for  the  amusement  of  the  lookers-on.  There  was  a  great 
deal  of  amusing  conversation  about  this  very  popular  exhi 
bition,  but  in  this  poor  Jim  and  the  Doctor  reluctantly  sub 
mitted  to  disappointment  when  Mr.  Melody  very  properly 
objected  to  their  going  to  see  it. 

Jim  had  laid  himself  on  his  back  at  this  time,  and,  not 
feeling  in  the  best  of  humour,  began  in  a  tirade  of  abuse 
of  the  Frenchwomen,,  of  whom  he  arid  the  Doctor  had  seen 
more  perhaps  on  the  previous  evening  in  the  Jardin  Mabille 
in  the  Champs  Elysees,  and  the  masquerade  in  the  Grand 
Opera  House,  than  they  had  seen  since  they  entered  Paris. 

Their  enterprise  on  that  evening  had  taken  place  after 
their  exhibition  had  closed,  when  Jim  and  the  Doctor  started 
with  Jeffrey  and  Daniel  and  two  or  three  friends  who  were 
pledged  to  take  care  of  them.  It  was  on  Sunday  evening^ 


268  JIMS  STRICTURES  ON  THE  B AL  MASQUE. 

when  the  greatest  crowds  attend  these  places,  and  I  have 
no  other  account  of  what  they  did  and  what  they  saw  than 
that  they  gave  me  on  their  return  home.  They  had  first 
gone  to  the  splendid  bal  in  the  popular  garden,  where  they 
were  told  that  the  thousand  elegant  women  they  saw  there 
dancing  were  all  bad  women,  and  that  nearly  all  of  them 
came  to  those  places  alone,  as  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  but 
were  all  let  in  free,  so  as  to  make  the  men  come  who  had  to 
pay.  This  idea  had  tickled  Jim  and  the  Doctor  very  much, 
for,  although  they  were  from  the  wilderness,  they  could  look 
a  good  way  into  a  thing  which  was  perfectly  clear.  It  was 
a  splendid  sight  for  them,  and,  after  strolling  about  a  while, 
and  seeing  all  that  could  be  seen,  they  had  turned  their 
attention  to  the  "  Bal  Masque  "  in  the  Grand  Opera.  Here 
they  had  been  overwhelmed  with  the  splendour  of  the  scene, 
and  astonished  at  its  novelty,,  and  the  modes  of  the  women 
who,  Jim  said,  "  were  all  ashamed  to  show  their  faces," 
and  whose  strange  manoeuvres  had  added  a  vast  deal  to 
the  fund  of  his  objections  to  Frenchwomen,  and  which  he 
said  had  constantly  been  accumulating  ever  since  he  first 
saw  so  many  of  them  kissing  the  ends  of  little  dogs'  noses, 
and  pretty  little  children  on  their  foreheads.  His  mind 
here  ran  upon  kissing,  of  which  he  had  seen  some  the  night 
before,  and  which  he  had  often  observed  in  the  exhibition 
rooms  and  in  the  streets.  He  had  laughed,  he  said,  to  see 
Frenchmen  kiss  each  other  on  both  cheeks  ;  and  he  had  ob 
served  that,  when  gentlemen  kiss  ladies,  they  kiss  them  on  the 
forehead  :  he  was  not  quite  sure  that  they  would  do  so  in  the 
dark,  however.  "  In  London  always  kiss  em  on  the  mouth; 
ladies  kiss  em  Indians  heap,  and  hug  em  too :  in  France 
ladies  no  kiss  em — no  like  em — no  good." 

In  speaking  of  the  bal  in  the  gardens,  "he  didn't  see 
anything  so  very  bad  in  that,  but  as  for  the  masquerade, 
he  looked  upon  it  as  a  very  immoral  thing  that  so  many 
thousands  of  ladies  should  come  there  and  be  ashamed  to 
show  their  faces,  and  have  the  privilege  of  picking  out  just 
such  men  as  they  liked  to  go  with  them,  and  then  take  hold 


AN  INDIAN  CUSTOM.  269 

of  their  arms,  as  he  said  he  repeatedly  saw  them,  and  lead 
them  out."  Amongst  the  Indians,  he  said,  they  had  a 
custom  much  like  that  to  he  sure,  but  it  was  only  given 
once  a-year,  and  it  was  then  only  for  the  young  married  men 
to  lend  their  wives  to  the  old  ones :  this  was  only  one  night 
in  the  year,  and  it  was  a  mark  of  respect  that  the  young 
married  men  were  willing  to  pay  to  the  old  warriors  and 
chiefs,  and  the  young  married  women  were  willing  to  agree 
to  it  because  it  pleased  their  husbands.  On  those  occasions, 
he  said,  "  none  are  admitted  into  the  ring  but  old  married 
men,  and  then  the  young  married  woman  goes  around  and 
touches  on  the  left  shoulder  the  one  who  she  wishes  to 
follow  her  into  the  bushes,  and  she  does  it  without  being 
ashamed  and  obliged  to  cover  her  face." 

The  Doctor's  prejudices  against  the  Frenchwomen  were 
nothing  near  as  violent  as  those  of  Jim,  and  yet  he  said  it 
made  him  feel  very  curious  when  he  saw  some  thousands 
with  their  faces  all  hidden  :  he  said  it  must  be  true  that 
they  had  some  object  that  was  bad,  or  they  wouldn't  be 
ashamed  and  hide  their  faces.  Mr.  Melody  told  Jim  and 
the  Doctor,  however,  that  he  didn't  consider  there  was  so  very 
much  harm  in  it,  for  these  very  women  had  the  handiest 
way  in  the  world  to  get  rid  of  all  their  sins.  If  they  hap 
pened  accidentally  or  otherwise  during  the  week  to  do  any 
thing  that  was  decidedly  naughty  or  wicked,  they  went 
into  their  churches  very  early  in  the  morning,  where  the 
priest  was  in  a  little  box  with  his  ear  to  the  window,  where 
the  woman  kneeled  down  and  told  in  his  ear  all  the  sins 
she  had  committed  during  the  week,  and  she  then  went 
away  quite  happy  that,  having  confessed  them  to  him,  he 
would  be  sure  to  have  them  all  forgiven  by  the  Great  Spirit. 
They  had  a  great  laugh  at  this,  and  all  thought  that  Mr. 
Melody  was  quizzing  them,  until  Bobasheela  and  Daniel  both 
told  them  it  was  all  true,  and  if  they  liked  to  go  with  them 
any  morning  they  would  take  them  into  any  of  the  French 
churches  or  chapels,  where  they  could  see  it;  and  would 
venture  that  they  would  see  many  of  the  same  women  con- 


270  FRENCHWOMEN  AT  CONFESSION. 

fessing  their  sins  whom  they  had  seen  at  the  bal  and  the 
masquerade,  and  in  this  way  they  could  tell  who  had  be 
haved  the  worst,  for  the  most  guilty  of  them  would  be  sure 
to  be  there  first.  The  Doctor  seemed  evidently  to  look  upon 
this  still  with  suspicion  and  doubt;  and  as  the  splendid 
church  of  St.  Rock  was  nearly  opposite  to  their  rooms,  and 
only  across  the  street,  it  was  proposed  that  the  Doctor  and 
Jim  should  accompany  Daniel  and  their  friend  Bobasheela 
immediately  there,  where  in  five  minutes  they  could  see  more 
or  less  women  at  confession,  and  at  the  same  time  a  fine  sight, 
one  of  the  most  splendid  churches  in  Paris,  and  the  place 
where  the  Queen  goes  on  every  Sunday  to  worship.  This 
so  excited  the  party,  that  they  chiefly  all  arose  and  walked 
across  the  street  to  take  a  view  of  the  church  and  the 
Frenchwomen  confessing  their  sins  into  the  ears  of  the 
priests.  They  happened  to  have  a  fair  opportunity  of  seeing 
several  upon  their  knees  at  confession ;  and  the  old  Doctor 
had  been  curious  to  advance  up  so  near  to  one,  that  he  said 
he  saw  the  priest's  eyes  shining  through  between  the  little 
slats,  and  then  he  was  convinced,  and  not  before.  He  said 
that  still  it  didn't  seem  right  to  him,  unless  the  Great 
Spirit  had  put  those  men  there  for  that  purpose.  He 
thought  it  a  very  nice  place  for  a  young  girl  to  tell  the 
priest  where  she  would  meet  him,  and  he  had  a  very  good 
chance  to  see  whether  she  was  pretty  or  not.  Jim  had  by 
this  time  studied  out  an  idea  or  two,  and  said,  he  thought 
that  this  way  of  confessing  sins  aided  the  lals  and  mas 
querades  and  the  industrious  fleas  very  much ;  and  he  be 
lieved  that  these  were  the  principal  causes  of  the  great 
number  of  the  poor  little  deserted  and  parentless  babes 
they  had  seen  in  the  hospital  where  they  had  been. 

The  hour  for  the  exhibition  arriving,  the  conversation 
about  Paris  morals  and  religion  was  broken  suddenly  off, 
and  perhaps  at  a  good  time.  There  were  great  crowds  new 
daily  attending  their  amusements,  and  generally  applauding 
enthusiastically,  and  making  the  Indians  occasional  presents. 
On  this  occasion  the  Doctor  had  made  a  tremendous  boast 


SPEECHES  OF  THE  DOCTOR  AND  JIM.  271 

in  the  part  he  was  taking  in  the  eagle-dance,  for  the  spirit 
of  which  the  audience,  and  particularly  the  ladies,  gave  him 
a  great  deal  of  applause,  so  much  so  that  at  the  end  of  the 
dance  his  vanity  called  him  out  in  an  off-hand  speech  about 
the  beauty  of  the  city,  &c.,  and,  it  being  less  energetic  than 
the  boasts  he  had  just  been  strutting  out,  failed  to  draw 
forth  the  applause  he  was  so  confidently  depending  on.  He 
tried  sentence  after  sentence,  and,  stopping  to  listen,  all  were 
silent.  This  perplexed  and  disappointed  the  Doctor  very 
much,  and  still  he  went  on,  and  at  length  stopped  and  sat 
down,  admired,  but  not  applauded.  His  friend  Jim  was 
laughing  at  him  as  he  took  his  seat,  and  telling  him  that  if 
he  had  barked  like  a  little  dog  the  ladies  would  have  been 
sure  to  applaud.  To  this  the  Doctor  said,  "You  had  better 
try  yourself: "  upon  which  the  daring  Jim,  who  professed 
never  to  refuse  any  challenge,  sprang  upon  his  feet,  and, 
advancing  to  the  edge  of  the  platform,  stood  braced  out  with 
his  brows  knitting,  and  his  eyes  "  in  a  frenzy  rolling,  "  for  full 
two  minutes  before  he  began.  He  then  thrust  his  lance 
forward  in  his  right  hand  as  far  as  he  could  dart  it  over  the 
heads  of  the  audience,  and,  coming  back  to  his  balance  again, 
he  commenced.  Of  his  speech  no  report  was  made,  but  it 
was  short  and  confined  to  three  or  four  brief  sentences,  at  the 
end  of  which  he  looked  around  with  the  most  doleful  expres 
sion  to  catch  the  applause,  but  there  was  none.  The  old  Doctor 
was  watching  him  close, and  telling  him  he  had  better  sit  down. 

In  this  dilemma  he  was  still  standing  after  all  his  good 
ideas  had  been  spent,  and  each  instant,  as  he  continued  to 
stand,  making  his  case  worse,  he  turned  upon  his  heel,  and 
as  he  was  turning  around  he  added,  in  an  irritated  manner, 
this  amusing  sentence  :  "  You  had  better  go  and  see  the  in 
dustrious  fleas,  and  then  you  will  applaud  !"  This  made  a 
great  laugh  amongst  the  Indians,  but  of  course  it  was  not 
translated  to  the  audience.  He  then  took  his  seat,  looking 
exceedingly  sober,  and,  with  his  pipe,  was  soon  almost  lost 
sight  of  in  the  columns  of  smoke  that  were  rising  around  him. 

About  this  time  a  very  friendly  invitation  had  been  given 


272 


DEATH  OF  LITTLE  WOLFS  WIFE. 


them  and  us  by  Colonel  Thorn,  an  American  gentleman 
of  great  wealth  residing  in  Paris,  and  all  were  anticipating 
much  pleasure  on  the  occasion  when  we  were  to  dine  at  his 
house ;  but,  unluckily  for  the  happiness  and  enjoyment  of 
the  whole  party,  on  the  morning  of  the  day  of  our  invitation 
the  wife  of  the  Little  Wolf  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  died. 
Our  engagement  to  dine  was  of  course  broken,  and  our  ex 
hibition  and  amusements  for  some  days  delayed.  '1  his  sad 
occurrence  threw  the  party  into  great  distress,  but  they  met 
the  kindness  of  many  sympathising  friends,  who  adminis 
tered  in  many  ways  to  their  comfort,  and  joined  in  attend 
ing  the  poor  woman's  remains  to  the  grave.  Her  disease 
was  the  consumption  of  the  lungs,  and  her  decline  had  been 
rapid,  though  her  death  at  that  time  was  unexpected. 
When  it  was  discovered  that  her  symptoms  were  alarming, 
a  Catholic  priest  was  called  in,  and  she  received  the  baptism 
a  few  moments  before  she  breathed  her  last.  Through  the 
kindness  of  the  excellent  Cure  of  the  Madeleine  church,  her 
remains  were  taken  into  that  splendid  temple,  and  the 
funeral  rites  performed  over  them  according  to  the  rules  of 
that  church,  in  the  presence  of  some  hundreds  who  were  led 
there  by  sympathy  and  curiosity,  and  from  thence  her  body 
was  taken  to  the  cemetery  of  Montmartre,  and  interred.  The 
poor  heartbroken  noble  fellow,  the  Little  Wolf,  shed  the 
tears  of  bitterest  sorrow  to  see  her,  from  necessity,  laid 
amongst  the  rows  of  the  dead  in  a  foreign  land :  and  on 
every  day  that  he  afterwards  spent  in  Paris  he  ordered  a 
cab  to  take  him  to  the  grave,  that  he  could  cry  over  it,  and 
talk  to  the  departed  spirit  of  his  wife,  as  he  was  leaving 
some  little  offering  he  had  brought  with  him.  This  was 
the  second  time  we  had  seen  him  in  grief;  and  we,  who  had 
been  by  him  in  all  his  misfortunes,  admired  the  deep  affec 
tion  he  showed  for  his  little  boy,  and  now  for  its  mother, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  manly  fortitude  with  which  he  met 
the  fate  that  had  been  decreed  to  him.  On  this  sad  occa 
sion  their  good  friend  M.  Vattemare  showed  his  kind 
sympathy  for  them,  and  took  upon  himself  the  whole 


RESOLVE  TO  RETURN  TO  AMERICA.  273 

arrangements  of  her  funeral,  and  did  all  that  was  in  his 
power  to  console  and  soothe  the  brokenhearted  husband  in 
the  time  of  his  affliction.  He  also  proposed  to  have  a  suit 
able  and  appropriate  monument  erected  over  her  grave, 
and  for  its  accomplishment  procured  a  considerable  sum  by 
subscription,  with  which,  I  presume,  the  monument  has,  ere 
this,  been  erected  over  her  remains.  The  Little  Wolf  in 
sisted  on  it  that  the  exhibition  should  proceed,  as  the  daily 
expenses  were  so  very  great,  and  in  a  few  days,  to  give 
it  all  the  interest  it  could  have,  resumed  his  part  in  the 
dance  that  he  had  taken  before  his  misfortune. 

Owing  to  letters  received  about  this  time  from  their 
tribe,  and  the  misfortune  that  had  happened,  the  Indians 
were  now  all  getting  anxious  to  start  for  their  own  country, 
and,  holding  a  council  on  the  subject,  called  Mr.  Melody  in, 
and  informed  him  that  they  had  resolved  to  sleep  but  six 
nights  more  in  Paris,  and  that  they  should  expect  him  to  be 
ready  to  start  with  them  after  that  time.  This  was  a  short 
notice  for  us,  but  was  according  to  Indian  modes,  and  there 
was  no  way  but  to  conform  to  it.  Mr.  Melody  had  pledged 
his  word  to  the  Government  to  take  care  of  these  people, 
and  to  return  to  their  country  with  them  whenever  the 
chiefs  should  desire  it  ;  and  I  was  bound,  from  my  deep 
interest  for  them,  to  assent  to  whatever  regulations  Mr. 
Melody  and  the  chiefs  should  adopt  as  the  best. 

This  notice  came  at  a  time  when  it  was  unexpected  by  me, 
and  I  think  not  anticipated  by  Mr.  Melody,  and  was  there 
fore  unfortunate  for  us,  and  probably  somewhat,  though  less 
so,  to  them.  The  very  heavy  outlays  had  all  been  made  for 
their  exhibitions,  and  their  audiences  were  daily  increasing. 
If  their  exhibitions  could  have  been  continued  a  month  or 
two  longer,  the  avails  would  have  been  considerable,  and  of 
great  service  to  Mr.  Melody,  who  had  the  heavy  responsi 
bility  on  his  shoulders  of  taking  these  people  back  to  their 
country  at  his  own  expense. 

The  closing  of  their  amusements,  and  positive  time  of  their 
departure,  was  now  announced,  and  immense  cro\vds  came  in 

VOL.    II.  T 


274         PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEPARTURE. 

within  the  remaining  few  days  to  get  the  last  possible  glance 
at  the  faces  and  the  curious  modes  of  "  les  Peaux  Rouges" 
The  poor  fellows  enjoyed  their  interviews  with  the  public 
to  the  last,  and  also  their  roast  beef  and  beef-steaks  and 
chichabobboo. 

They  had  much  to  say  in  the  few  days  that  were  left  ; 
they  quitted  their  daily  drives  and  sight-seeing,  and  devoted 
their  time  to  the  pipe  and  conversation,  in  a  sort  of  recapi 
tulation  of  what  they  had  seen  and  said  and  done  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  of  friends  and  affairs  in  their  own 
humble  villages,  where  their  thoughts  were  now  roaming. 
They  were  counting  their  cash  also,  packing  away  all  their 
things  they  were  to  carry,  and  looking  out  for  the  little  pre 
sents  they  wished  to  purchase,  to  take  home  to  their  friends. 
In  all  of  these  occupations  they  had  the  constant  attention 
of  their  old  and  faithful  friends  Bobasheela  and  Daniel. 

In  one  of  their  conversations  after  the  funeral  of  the  poor 
woman,  the  Doctor  and  Jim  had  much  to  say  of  the  honours 
paid  to  her  remains  by  the  French  people,  which  the  whole 
party  would  recollect  as  long  as  they  lived.  They  were 
pleased  with  and  astonished  at  the  beauty  and  magnificence 
of  the  Madeleine  church,  and  wished  to  get  some  account  of 
it  to  carry  home  to  show  their  people,  and  thus,  besides 
several  engravings  of  it,  Jim's  book  carried  the  following 
entry  by  my  own  hand  : — "  La  Madeleine,  the  most  splendid 
temple  of  worship  in  Paris,  or  perhaps  in  the  world ;  sur 
rounded  with  52  Corinthian  columns,  60  feet  high;  south 
pediment,  a  bas-relief,  representing  the  Day  of  Judgment, 
with  the  figure  of  Magdalene  at  the  feet  of  Christ." 

As  the  party  were  to  embark  at  Havre  on  their  home 
ward  voyage,  it  became  a  question  how  they  were  to  get 
their  numerous  trunks  and  boxes  they  had  left  in  London, 
filled  with  clothes  and  other  articles  that  they  had  pur 
chased  or  received  as  presents  while  in  England.  To 
relieve  them  of  this  difficulty,  their  friend  Bobasheela  volun 
teered  to  go  to  London  and  take  all  their  boxes  to  Liver 
pool,  and  ship  them  to  New  York,  and  was  soon  on  the  way. 


ILLNESS  OF  AUTHOR'S  WIFE.  '275 

This  was  a  noble  and  kind  act  on  the  part  of  Bobasheela, 
and  it  was  done  with  despatch,  and  he  was  back  in  Paris 
just  in  time  to  accompany  his  friends  to  Havre.  M. 
Vattemare  was  in  readiness  to  attend  them  also  ;  and  all 
their  transactions  in  Paris  being  brought  to  a  close,  and 
they  having  taken  leave  of  Chippehola  and  other  friends, 
started  for  their  native  land,  with  my  highest  admiration 
for  the  sober  and  respectful  manner  in  which  they  had  con 
ducted  themselves  while  under  my  direction,  and  with  my 
most  ardent  desire  for  their  future  success  and  happiness.* 

Here  was  about  the  period  at  which  my  dear  wife  and  I 
had  contemplated  our  return,  with  our  little  children,  to 
our  native  land,  where  we  should  have  returned  in  the 
enjoyment  of  all  the  happiness  we  had  anticipated  or  could 
have  wished,  but  for  the  misfortune  that  had  been  for  some 
time  awaiting  me,  but  not  until  then  duly  appreciated,  in 
my  own  house.  Those  of  my  readers  who  were  not  familiar 
with  the  completeness  of  my  domestic  happiness  prior  to  this 
period  of  my  life,  will  scarcely  know  how  to  sympathize 
with  me,  or  perhaps  to  excuse  me  for  adverting  to  it  here. 
My  dear  Clara,  whom  I  have  introduced  to  the  reader 
before,  who  shared  with  me  many  of  the  toils  and  pleasures 
of  the  prairies  of  the  "  Far  West,"  and  was  now  meeting 
with  me  the  mutual  enjoyments  of  the  refined  and  splendid 
world,  had,  a  few  weeks  before,  in  company  with  a  couple  of 
English  ladies  of  her  acquaintance,  paid  a  visit  to  the  Mint, 
from  which  they  all  returned  indisposed,  having  taken 
severe  colds  by  a  sudden  change  from  the  heated  rooms  into 
the  chilly  atmosphere  of  the  streets.  With  my  dear  wife, 
who  was  obliged  to  retire  to  her  room,  the  disease  was  dis- 

*  I  learned  from  M.  Vattemare,  on  his  return,  that  the  party  were 
treated  with  great  friendship  by  an  American  gentleman  in  Havre,  Mr. 
Winslow,  who  invited  them  to  dine  at  his  house,  and  bestowed  on  them 
liberal  presents.  They  embraced  their  old  friend  Bobasheela  in  their  arms 
on  the  deck  of  their  vessel,  and  he  sailed  for  London  as  their  vessel  was 
under  weigh  for  America.  The  rest  of  their  history  is  for  other  historians, 
and  my  narrative  will  continue  a  little  further  on  events  in  Paris. 

T  2 


276  DEATH  OF  AUTHOR'S  WIFE. 

covered  in  a  few  days  to  have  attached  to  her  lungs  ;  and 
although  for  several  weeks  she  had  been  suffering  very 
much,  and  confined  to  her  bed,  no  serious  apprehensions 
were  entertained  until  about  the  time  that  the  Indians  left, 
when  my  whole  thoughts  and  attentions  were  turned  to  her, 
but  to  discover  in  a  few  days  that  our  plans  for  further 
mutual  happiness  in  this  world  were  at  an  end — that  her 
days  were  nearly  numbered,  and  that  her  four  dear  little 
children  were  to  be  committed  to  my  sole  care. 

To  those  who  have  felt  pangs  like  mine  which  followed, 
I  need  but  nurely  mention  them  ;  and  to  those  who  have 
not  felt  them,  it  would  be  in  vain  to  describe.  Her  feeble 
form  wasted  away ;  and  in  her  dying  moments,  with  a 
Christian's  hope,  she  was  in  the  midst  of  happiness,  blessing 
her  dear  little  children  as  she  committed  them  to  iny  care 
and  protection. 

The  following  obituary  notice,  penned  by  a  lady  of  her 
intimate  acquaintance,  the  reader  will  excuse  me  for  insert 
ing  here,  as  it  is  the  only  record  of  her,  except  those 
engraven  on  the  hearts  of  those  who  knew  and  loved  her :— 

o 

DIED — On  the  28th  inst.,  No.  11  bis,  Avenue  Lord  Byron,  Paris,  Mrs. 
Clara  B.  Catlin,  the  wife  of  the  eminent  traveller  so  distinguished  for  his 
researches  into  Indian  history  and  antiquities  of  America,  and  so  universally 
known  and  respected  in  Europe  and  his  native  country,  Geo.  Catlin,  Esq., 
from  the  United  States  of  America.  The  devoted  friends  who  watched 
the  last  moments  of  this  most  amiable,  interesting  woman  with  intense 
anxiety,  still  clung  to  a  faint  hope,  deceived  by  a  moral  energy  never  sur 
passed,  and  the  most  unruffled  serenity  of  temper,  that  (had  it  been  the 
will  of  Heaven)  they  might  have  been  permitted  to  rescue  a  life  so  precious 
— but,  alas  !  this  gentle,  affectionate,  intellectual  being  was  destined  never 
more  to  revisit  the  land  of  her  birth,  and  all  that  was  earthly  of  so  much 
worth  and  loveliness  has  passed  away,  whilst  the  immortal  spirit  has  ascended 
to  its  kindred  skies  ! 

"  None  knew  her,  but  to  love  her  ; 
None  named  her,  but  to  praise." 

Galignani's  Messenger,  30th  July,  1845. 

The  reader  can  imagine  something  of  the  gloom  that  was 
cast  over  my  house  and  little  family,  thus  suddenly  closed 
for  ever  from  the  smiles  and  cheer  of  an  affectionate  wife 


HER  REMAINS  SENT  TO  NEW  YORK.  277 

and  a  devoted  mother,  whose  remains  were  sent  back  to  her 
native  land — not  to  greet  and  bring  joy  to  her  kindred  and 
anxious  friends,  from  whom  she  had  been  five  years  absent, 
but  to  afford  them  the  last  glance  at  her  loved  features, 
then  to  take  their  place  amongst  the  ranks  of  the  peaceful 
dead. 


(     278     ) 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Eleven  Ojibbeway  Indians  arrive  from  London  —  Their  exhibitions  in 
the  Author's  Collection  —  Portraits  and  description  of — Their  amuse 
ments — Their  pledge  to  sobriety — Chickabobboo  explained  to  them — 
Birth  of  a  Pappoose  —  M.  Gudin  —  Indians  and  the  Author  dine 
with  him  —  His  kind  lady — The  Author  breakfasts  with  the  lloyal 
Family  in  the  palace  at  St.  Cloud — Two  Kings  and  two  Queens  at 
the  table — The  Author  presented  to  the  King  and  Queen  of  the  Belgians 
by  Louis  Philippe,  in  the  salon — Count  de  Paris — Due  de  Brabant 
— Recollects  the  Indian  pipe  and  mocassins  presented  to  him  by  the 
Author  in  the  Egyptian  Hall — Duchess  of  Orleans — The  Princess 
Adelaide — The  King  relates  anecdotes  of  his  life  in  America — Washing 
ton's  farewell  address — Losing  his  dog  in  the  Seneca  village — Crossing 
Buffalo  Creek — Descending  the  Tioga  and  Susquehana  rivers  in  an 
Indian  canoe,  to  Wyoming,  the  Author's  native  valley — The  King 
desires  the  Author  to  arrange  his  whole  Collection  in  the  Louvre  for  the 
private  views  of  the  Royal  Family — He  also  appoints  a  day  to  see  the 
Ojibbeways  in  the  Park,  at  St.  Cloud — Great  rejoicing  of  the  Indians—- 
A  dog-feast — The  Indians  and  the  Author  dine  a  second  time  at  M. 
Gudin's. 

IN  the  midst  of  my  grief,  with  my  little  family  around  me, 
with  my  collection  still  open,  and  my  lease  for  the  Salic 
Valentino  not  yet  expired,  there  suddenly  arrived  from 
London  a  party  of  eleven  Ojibleway  Indians,  from  the 
region  of  Lake  Huron,  in  Upper  Canada,  who  had  been 
brought  to  England  by  a  Canadian,  but  had  since  been 
under  the  management  of  a  young  man  from  the  city  of 
London.  They  had  heard  of  the  great  success  of  the 
loways  in  Paris,  and  also  of  their  sudden  departure,  and 
were  easily  prevailed  upon  to  make  a  visit  there.  On 
their  arrival,  I  entered  into  the  same  arrangement  with 
them  that  I  had  with  the  two  former  parties,  agreeing  with 
the  young  man  who  had  charge  of  them  to  receive  them 
into  my  collection,  sharing  the  expenses  and  receipts  as  I 


^f 


ARRIVAL  IN  PARIS  OF  OJIBBEWAYS.  279 

had  done  before  ;  he  being  obligated  to  pay  the  Indians  a 
certain  sum  per  month,  and  bound  to  return  them  to 
London,  from  whence  they  came,  at  his  own  expense.  As 
my  collection  was  all  arranged  and  prepared,  I  thought 
such  an  arrangement  calculated  to  promote  their  interest 
and  my  own,  and  in  a  few  days  their  arrival  and  exhibitions 
were  announced,  they  having  been  quartered  in  the  same 
apartments  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  loways  before 
them. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  the  party,  with  their 
respective  ages  given  (see  Plate  No-  18)  :  — 

Age. 

1.  Maun-gua-daus  (a  Great  Hero) — Chief    ,    .    .    .    .  41 

2.  Say-say-gon  (the  Hail-Storm)      31 

3.  Ke-che-us-sin  (the  Strong  Rock) 27 

4.  Mush- she- mong  (the  King  of  the  Loons) 25 

5.  Au-nim-muck-hwalt-um  (the  Tempest  Bird)  ....  20 

6.  A-wun-ne-wa-be  (the  Bird  of  Thunder) 19 

7.  Wau-bud-dick  (the  Elk) 18 

8.  U-je-jock  (the  Pelican) 10 

9.  Noo-din-no-kay  (the  Furious  Storm) 4 

10.  Min-nis-sin-noo  (a  Brave  Warrior)      3 

11.  Uh-wus-sig-gee-zigh-gook-hway  (Woman  of  the  Upper 
World)— wife  of  Chief 38 

12.  Pappoose — born  in  the  Salle  Valentino. 

The  chief  of  this  party,  Maun-gua-daus,  was  a  remarkably 
fine  man,  both  in  his  personal  appearance  and  intellectual 
faculties.  He  wras  a  half-caste,  and,  speaking  the  English 
language  tolerably  well,  acted  as  chief  and  interpreter  of  the 
party. 

The  War-chief,  Say-say-gon,  was  also  a  fine  and  intelligent 
Indian,  full-blooded,  and  spoke  no  English.  The  several 
younger  men  were  generally  good-looking,  and  exceedingly 
supple  and  active,  giving  great  life  and  excitement  to  their 
dances.  In  personal  appearance  the  party,  taken  all  to 
gether,  was  less  interesting  than  that  of  the  loways,  yet,  at 
the  same  time,  their  dances  and  other  amusements  wrere 
equally,  if  not  more  spirited  and  beautiful  than  those  of 
their  predecessors. 


280  EXHIBITIONS  COMMENCED. 

Thus,   in    the  midst,  of  my  sorrow,    I 
anxieties    ajrain,    and    advertised    the    arrival   of  the    new 

O  ' 

party,  and  the  commencement  of  their  exhibitions.  They 
began  with  more  limited  but  respectable  audiences,  and 
seemed  to  please  and  surprise  all  who  came,  by  the  excite 
ment  of  their  dances  and  their  skill  in  shooting  with  the 
bow  and  arrows,  in  the  last  of  which  they  far  surpassed  the 
loways.  It  was  impossible,  however,  by  all  the  advertising 
that  could  be  done,  to  move  the  crowds  again  that  had  been 
excited  to  see  the  loways ;  the  public  seeming  to  have 
taken  the  idea  that  these  were  merely  an  imitation  got  up 
to  take  advantage  of  their  sudden  departure.  It  happened 
quite  curious,  that,  although  the  party  consisted  of  eleven 
when  they  arrived,  about  the  time  of  the  commencement 
of  their  exhibitions  the  wife  of  the  chief  was  delivered  of  a 
pappoose,  which  was  born  in  the  same  room  where  the  poor 
wrife  of  the  Little  Wolf  had  died.  This  occurrence  enabled 
us  to  announce  the  party  as  twelve — the  same  number  as  the 
loways ;  which,  with  the  name  somewhat  similar,  furnished 
very  strong  grounds  for  many  of  the  Parisians  to  believe  that 
they  were  paying  their  francs  to  see  their  own  countrymen 
aping  the  Indians  of  America. 

It  seemed  strange  that  it  was  so  difficult  to  do  away  this 
impression,  which  operated  against  them  the  whole  time 
they  were  in  Paris,  though  all  who  saw  them  but  a  moment 
were  satisfied  and  pleased.  Their  amusements  were  much 
like  those  of  the  loways,  but  with  national  differences  in  the 
modes  of  giving  them,  which  were,  to  the  curious,  subjects 
of  great  interest. 

The  same  hours  were  adopted  for  their  exhibitions — the 
same  vehicles  were  contracted  for,  for  their  daily  exercise 
and  sight-seeing  —  and  their  guardian,  with  Daniel,  took 
charge  of  all  their  movements  on  these  occasions.  Their 
daily  routine  therefore  was  in  most  respects  the  same  as 
that  of  the  loways,  and  it  would  be  waste  of  valuable  time 
here  for  me  to  follow  them  through  all. 

We  held  the  council,  as  we  had  done  in  the  other  cases. 


FRIENDLINESS  OF  M.  GUDIN. 

before  our  arrangements  were  entered  upon,  and  all  was 
placed  upon  the  condition  that  they  were  to  conduct  them 
selves  soberly,  and  to  drink  no  spirituous  liquors.  The 
temperance  pledge  was  therefore  given,  after  I  had  explained 
to  them  that,  with  the  two  other  parties,  ale  in  England,  and 
viti  ordinaire  in  France,  when  taken  to  a  moderate  degree, 
were  not  included  in  the  term  "spirituous  liquors"  and  that 
they  would  of  course,  as  the  other  parties  had  been  indulged, 
have  their  regular  glass  at  their  dinners,  and  also  after  their 
suppers,  and  before  going  to  bed ;  and  that  they  would  call 
it,  as  the  others  had  done,  chickabobboo.  This  indulgence 
seemed  to  please  them  very  much,  and,  being  at  a  loss  to 
know  the  meaning  of  chickabobboo,  I  took  an  occasion  to 
give  them  the  history  of  the  word,  which  they  would  see  was 
of  Ojibbeway  origin,  and,  laughing  excessively  at  the  inge 
nuity  of  their  predecessors,  they  all  resolved  to  keep  up 
their  word,  and  to  be  sure  at  the  same  time  not  to  drop 
their  custom,  of  taking  the  licensed  glasses  of  chicka- 
Ituhboo. 

Amongst  the  kind  friends  whom  this  party  made  in  Paris, 
one  of  the  best  was  M.  Gudin,  the  celebrated  marine 
painter,  in  the  employment  of  the  King.  This  most  excel 
lent  gentleman  and  his  kind  lady  were  frequent  visitors  to 
their  exhibitions,  arid  several  times  invited  the  whole  party 
and  myself  to  dine  at  their  table,  and  spend  the  day  in  the 
beautiful  grounds  around  his  noble  mansion  (the  "  Chateau 
Beaujon"),  and,  in  its  present  improved  condition,  little  less 
than  a  palace. 

Not  only  will  the  Indians  feel  bound  for  life  to  acknow 
ledge  their  gratitude  to  this  kind  lady  and  gentleman,  but 
the  writer  of  these  notes  will  feel  equally  and  more  so  for 
the  kind  and  unmerited  attentions  they  paid  to  him  during 
his  stay  in  Paris.  It  was  through  the  friendly  agency  of 
M.  Gudin  that  the  King  invited  my  collection  to  the 
Louvre,  and  myself,  in  company  with  him,  to  the  royal  break 
fast-table  in  the  palace  at  St.  Cloud.  I  take  no  little 
satisfaction  in  recording  here  these  facts,  not  only  for  myself. 


282  AUTHOR  BREAKFASTS  AT  ST.  CLOUD. 

Lut  injustice  to  one  of  the  most  distinguished  painters  (and 
one  of  the  best  fellows)  of  the  age.  On  this  occasion,  the 
proudest  one  of  my  wild  and  erratic  life,  we  were  conducted 
through  several  rooms  of  the  palace  to  the  one  in  which  the 
Royal  Family,  chiefly  all  assembled,  with  their  numerous 
guests,  were  standing  and  ready  to  be  seated  around  a  cir 
cular  table  of  15  or  18  feet  in  diameter,  at  which,  our  seats 
being  indicated  to  us,  and  the  bow  of  recognition  (so  far  as 
we  were  able  to  recognise  acquaintances)  having  been  made, 
all  were  seated.  This  extraordinary  occasion  of  my  life  was 
rendered  peculiarly  memorable  and  gratifying  to  me,  from 
the  fact  that  there  were  two  Kings  and  two  Queens  at  the 
table,  and  nearly  every  member  of  the  Royal  Family.  The 
King  and  Queen  of  the  Belgians,  who  were  at  that  time  on 
a  visit  to  Paris,  with  his  Royal  Highness  the  little  Due  de 
Brabant,  were  the  unusual  Royal  guests  at  the  table  on  the 
occasion.  The  number  of  persons  at  the  table,  consisting  of 
the  two  Royal  Families,  the  King's  aides-de-camp,  and 
orderly  officers  of  the  palace,  with  the  invited  guests, 
amounted  to  about  30  in  all;  and  as  Kings  and  Queens  and 
royal  families  eat  exactly  like  other  people,  I  see  nothing 
further  that  need  be  noticed  until  their  Majesties  arose  and 
retired  to  the  salon  or  drawing-room,  into  which  we  all  fol 
lowed.  I  was  there  met  as  I  entered,  in  the  most  gracious 
and  cordial  manner  by  His  Majesty,  who  presented  me  to 
the  King  of  the  Belgians,  who  did  me  the  honour  to  address 
me  in  these  words  : — "I  am  very  happy,  Mr.  Catlin,  to  meet 
a  gentleman  whose  name  is  familiar  to  us  all,  and  who  has 
done  so  much  for  science,  and  also  for  the  poor  Indians.  You 
know  that  the  Queen,  and  myself,  and  the  Due  de  Brabant 
were  all  subscribers  to  your  valuable  work,  and  we  have 
taken  great  interest  in  reading  it." 

The  two  heirs- apparent,  the  little  Count  de  Paris  and 
His  Royal  Highness  the  Due  de  Brabant,  came  to  me,  and, 
recognising  me,  inquired  about  the  Indians.  The  conversa 
tion  with  her  Majesty,  and  also  with  the  Princess  Adelaide, 
and  the  Duchess  of  Orleans,  was  about  the  Indians,  who 


LOUIS  PHILIPPE'S  AMERICAN  REMINISCENCES.        283 

they  had  heard  had  gone  home,  and  in  whom  they  all  seemed 
to  have  taken  a  deep  interest. 

The  little  Due  clc  Brabant  recollected  the  small  pipe  and 
mocassins  I  had  presented  him  when  he  visited  my  collection 
in  the  Egyptian  Hall,  under  the  protection  of  the  Hon. 
Mr.  Murray. 

I  had  a  few  minutes'  conversation  with  the  Kin«;  of  the 

O 

Belgians,  and  also  with  the  graceful  and  pensive  Duchess  of 
Orleans,  and  our  ears  were  then  all  turned  to  the  recitals  of 
his  Majesty,  around  whom  we  had  gathered,  whilst  he  was 
relating  several  scenes  of  his  early  life  in  America,  in  com 
pany  with  his  two  brothers,  the  Due  de  Montpensier  and 
the  Count  Beaujolais,  which  it  seemed  my  advent  writh  the 
Indians  had  brought  up  with  unusual  freshness  in  his 
mind. 

He  commented  in  the  most  eloquent  terms  upon  the 
greatness  and  goodness  of  General  Washington,  and  told  us 
that  he  and  his  brothers  were  lucky  enough  to  have  been 
present  and  heard  his  farewell  address  in  Philadelphia, 
which  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  reflecting  upon  as  one  of 
the  most  pleasurable  and  satisfactory  incidents  of  his  life. 

He  gave  us  an  amusing  account  of  his  horse  getting 
mired  in  crossing  Buffalo  Creek,  and  of  his  paying  a  visit 
to  the  tribe  of  Seneca  Indians,  near  to  the  town  of  Buffalo, 
on  Lake  Erie  : — 

"  Being  conducted,"  said  he,  "  to  the  village  and  to  the  chief  s  wigwam, 
I  shook  hands  with  the  chief,  who  came  and  stood  by  my  horse's  head,  and 
while  some  hundreds  of  men,  women,  and  children  were  gathering  around, 
1  told  the  chief  that  I  had  come  to  make  him  a  visit  of  a  day  or  two,  to 
which  he  replied  that  he  was  very  glad  to  see  me,  and  I  should  be  made 
quite  welcome,  and  treated  to  the  best  that  he  had.  He  said  there  would 
be  one  condition,  however,  which  was,  that  he  should  require  me  to  give 
him  everything  I  had  ;  he  should  demand  my  horse,  from  which  I  would 
dismount,  and  having  given  him  the  bridle,  he  said,  '  I  now  want  your  gun, 
your  watch,  and  all  your  money  ;  these  are  indispensable.' 

"  I  then,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  began  to  think  that  I  was  com 
pletely  robbed  and  plundered  ;  but  at  the  moment  when  he  had  got  all, 
and  before  I  had  time  for  more  than  an  instant  thought  of  my  awkward 
condition,  he  released  me  from  all  further  alarm  by  continuing,  '  If  you 
have  anything  else  which  you  wish  to  be  sure  to  get  again,  I  wish  you  to 


284         LOUIS  PHILIPPE'S  AMERICAN  REMINISCENCES. 

let  me  have  it;  for  whatever  you  deliver  into  my  hands  now  yon  will  be 
sure  to  find  safe  when  you  are  about  to  leave  ;  otherwise  I  would  not.  be 
willing  to  vouch  for  their  safety  ;  for  there  are  some  of  my  people  whom  we 
cannot  trust  to.' 

"  From  this  moment  I  felt  quite  easy,  and  spent  a  day  or  two  in  their 
village  very  pleasantly,  and  with  much  amusement.  When  I  was  about  to 
leave,  my  horse  was  brought  to  the  chief's  door  and  saddled,  and  all  the 
property  I  had  left  in  his  hands  safely  restored. 

u  I  then  mounted  my  horse,  and,  having  taken  leave,  and  proceeded  a 
short  distance  on  my  route,  I  discovered  that  I  had  left  my  favourite  dog, 
which  I  had  been  too  much  excited  and  amused  to  think  of,  and  did  not 
recollect  to  have  seen  after  I  entered  their  village. 

"  I  turned  my  horse  and  rode  back  to  the  door  of  the  chiefs  wig- 
wain,  and  made  inquiries  for  it.  The  chief  said,  '  But  you  did  not 
intrust  your  dog  to  my  care,  did  you  ?'  '  No,  I  did  not  think  of  my  poor 
dog  at  the  time.'  '  Well  then,'  said  he,  '  I  can't  answer  for  it.  If  you 
had  done  as  I  told  you,  your  dog  would  have  been  safe.  However,'  said 
he,  '  we  will  inquire  for  it.'  At  which  moment  one  of  his  little  sons  was 
ordered  to  run  and  open  a  rude  pen  or  cage  by  the  corner  of  the  wigwam, 
and  out  leaped  my  dog,  and  sprang  upon  my  leg  as  I  was  sitting  on  my 
horse.  I  offered  the  honest  chief  a  reward  for  his  kindness  ;  but  he  refused 
to  accept  it,  wishing  me  to  recollect,  whenever  I  was  amongst  Indians  again, 
to  repose  confidence  in  an  Indian's  word,  and  feel  assured  that  all  the  pro 
perty  intrusted  to  an  Indian's  care  I  would  be  sure  to  find  safe  whenever 
I  wanted  it  again." 

After  reciting  this  amusing  incident,  his  Majesty  described 
to  me  the  route  which  he  and  his  brothers  took  from  Buffalo 
to  the  falls  of  Niagara,  and  thence  on  horseback  to  Geneva, 
a  small  town  at  the  foot  of  the  Seneca  Lake,  where  they 
sold  their  horses,  and,  having  purchased  a  small  boat,  rowed 
it  90  miles  to  Ithaca,  at  the  head  of  the  lake.  From  thence 
they  travelled  on  foot,  with  their  luggage  carried  on  their 
backs,  30  miles  to  Tioga,  on  the  banks  of  the  Susquehana, 
where  they  purchased  a  canoe  from  the  Indians,  and  de 
scended  in  it  that  romantic  and  beautiful  river,  to  a  small 
town  called  Wilkesbarre,  in  the  valley  of  Wyoming. 

From  thence,  with  their  knapsacks  on  their  backs,  they 
crossed  the  Wilkesbarre  and  Pokono  mountains  to  Easton, 
and  from  thence  were  conveyed  in  a  coach  to  Philadelphia. 

1  here  surprised  his  Majesty  a  little,  and  his  listeners,  and 
seemed  to  add  a  fresh  interest  to  his  narrative,  by  informing 


A  DOG  FEAST.  285 

liiin  that  I  was  a  native  of  Wilkesbarre,  in  the  valley  of 
Wyoming,  and  that  while  his  Majesty  was  there  I  was  an 
infant  in  my  mother's  arms,  only  a  few  months  old. 

He  related  a  number  of  pleasing  recollections  of  his  visit 
to  my  native  valley,  and  then  gave  us  an  account  of  an 
Indian  ball-play  amongst  the  Cherokees  and  Choctaws, 
where  he  saw  500  or  600  engaged,  during  the  whole  day, 
before  the  game  was  decided  ;  and  he  pronounced  it  one  of 
the  most  exciting  and  beautiful  scenes  he  had  ever  beheld. 

After  an  hour  or  so  spent  in  amusing  us  with  the  pleas 
ing  reminiscences  of  his  wild  life  in  America,  he  expressed 
a  wish  to  see  my  collection,  and  requested  me  to  place  it  in 
a  large  hall  in  the  Louvre,  for  the  private  views  of  the 
Royal  Family ;  and  also  appointed  a  day  and  an  hour  when 
he  would  be  glad  to  see  the  Ojibbeway  Indians  at  St.  Cloud, 
and  desired  me  to  accompany  them. 

From  the  Palace,  my  friend  M.  Gudin,  at  the  request 
of  the  King,  proceeded  with  me  to  Paris  and  to  the  Louvre, 
with  his  Majesty's  command  to  M.  de  Caillaux,  director 
of  the  Louvre,  to  prepare  the  Salle  de  Seance  for  the  recep 
tion  of  my  collection,  which  was  ordered  to  be  arranged  in 
it.  My  return  from  thence  to  the  Indians,  with  the  inform 
ation  that  they  were  to  visit  the  King,  created  a  pleasing 
excitement  amongst  them,  and,  as  the  reader  can  easily 
imagine,  great  joy  and  rejoicing. 

This  was  an  excitement  and  a  piece  of  good  news  to  the 
poor  fellows  that  could  not  be  passed  over  without  some 
signal  and  unusual  notice,  and  the  result  was,  that  a  dog- 
feast  was  to  be  the  ceremony  for  the  next  day.  Conse 
quently  a  dog  was  procured  at  an  early  hour,  and,  according 
to  the  custom  of  their  country,  was  roasted  whole,  and,  when 
ready,  was  partaken  of  with  a  due  observance  of  all  the 
forms  used  in  their  own  country  on  such  occasions,  it  being 
strictly  a  religious  ceremony. 

The  same  indulgence  in  seeing  the  sights  of  Paris,  and  of 
exercise  in  the  open  air,  was  shown  to  them  as  to  the  other 
party ;  and  the  same  carriages  contracted  for,  to  give  them 


286  DINNER  AT  M.  GUDIN'S. 

their  daily  drives  ;  in  all  of  which  they  were  accompanied  by 
their  guardian,  to  whom  the  sights  of  Paris  were  also  new 
and  equally  entertaining,  and  they  all  made  the  best  use  of 
their  time  in  these  amusements. 

Their  good  friend  M.  Gudin  appointed  another  day 
for  the  whole  party  to  dine  at  his  house,  and  having  a 
number  of  distinguished  guests  at  his  table,  the  scene  was  a 
very  brilliant  and  merry  one.  The  orator  of  the  party  was 
the  chief  Maun-gua-daus,  though  on  this  occasion  the  War- 
chief,  whose  name  was  Say-say-gon  (the  Hail-storm),  arose 
at  the  table  and  addressed  M.  Gudin  and  his  lady  in  a 
very  affectionate  manner  ;  thanking  them  for  their  kindness 
to  them,  who  were  strangers  in  Paris  and  a  great  way  from 
their  homes,  and  at  the  same  time  proposing  to  give  to  his 
friend  M.  Gudin  a  new  name,  saying  that,  whenever 
the  Indians  made  a  new  friend  whom  they  loved  very  much, 
they  liked  to  call  him  by  a  name  that  had  some  meaning  to 
it,  and  he  should  hereafter  call  him  by  the  name  of  Ken-nc- 
wab-a-mm  (the  Sun  that  guides  us  through  the  Wilderness). 

There  were  several  gentlemen  of  high  rank  and  titles 
present,  and  all  seemed  much  entertained  with  the  appear 
ance  and  conduct  of  the  Indians. 


COLLECTION  ARRANGED  IN  THE  LOUVRE.  291 

the  country,  where  he  was  searching  for  a  particular  kind 
of  herb  or  root,  with  which  he  felt  confident  he  could  cure  it. 

These  visits  were  continued  for  some  weeks,  and  I  was 
informed  by  Daniel  and  by  the  Indians  that  he  succeeded 
in  effecting  the  cure,  and  that  they  handsomely  rewarded 
him  for  it. 

About  this  time,  my  lease  expiring,  I  closed  my  exhibi 
tion,  removing  my  collection  to  the  Salle  de  Seance,  in  the 
Louvre,  where  Daniel  and  I  soon  arranged  it  for  the  inspec 
tion  of  the  King  and  Royal  Family ;  and  it  being  ready,  I 
met  his  Majesty  in  it  by  appointment  to  explain  its  contents 
to  him. 

The  King  entered  at  the  hour  appointed,  with  four  or 
five  of  his  orderly  officers  about  him,  and,  on  casting  his 
c}*es  around  the  room,  his  first  exclamation  was  that  of  sur 
prise  at  its  unexpected  extent  and  picturesque  effect. 

My  friend  M.  Vattemare,  and  also  another  friend,  Maj. 
Poore,  from  the  United  States,  were  by  my  side,  and  greatly 
amused  and  pleased  with  the  remarks  made  by  the  King 
during  the  interview,  relative  to  my  paintings,  and  also  to 
incidents  of  his  life  amongst  the  Indians  of  America  during 
his  exile.  His  Majesty  soon  recognised  the  picture  of  an 
Indian  ball-play,  and  several  other  scenes  he  had  witnessed 
on  the  American  frontier,  and  repeatedly  remarked  that  my 
paintings  all  had  the  strong  impress  of  nature  in  them,  and 
were  executed  with  much  spirit  and  effect.  He  seemed 
pleased  and  amused  with  the  various  Indian  manufactures, 
and  particularly  with  the  beautiful  Crow  wigwam  from  the 
llocky  Mountains  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  the 
door  of  which  I  opened  for  his  Majesty  to  pass  under. 

After  his  visit  of  half  an  hour  he  retired,  appointing 
another  interview,  telling  me  that  the  Queen  must  see  the 
collection  with  him,  and  also  commanding  the  director  of 
the  Louvre  to  admit  my  little  children  to  his  presence, 
having  heard  of  their  misfortune  of  losing  their  mother,  for 
which  he  felt  much  sympathy. 

At  the  time  appointed,  a  few  days  after,  I  met  his  Ma- 

u  2 


292  THE  KING'S  AMERICAN  ANECDOTES. 

jesty  again,  with  a  number  of  his  illustrious  friends,  in  my 
collection  ;  and  after  he  had  taken  them  around  the  room 
awhile  to  describe  familiar  scenes  which  he  had  met  there 
on  his  former  visit,  I  continued  to  explain  other  paintings 
and  Indian  manufactures  in  the  collection.  (Plate  No.  22.) 

In  the  midst  of  our  tour  around  the  hall  his  Majesty  met 
something  that  again  reminded  him  of  scenes  he  had  witnessed 
in  his  rambling  life  in  the  backwoods  of  America,  and  he 
held  us  still  for  half  an  hour  during  his  recitals  of  them. 
He  described  the  mode-  in  which  he  and  his  two  brothers  de 
scended  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers  in  an  old  Mackinaw 
boat  which  they  purchased  at  Pittsburg,  and  in  which  they 
made  their  way  amongst  snags  and  sawyers  and  sandbars 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  six  hundred  miles,  and  from  that 
down  the  still  more  wild  and  dangerous  current  of  the  Mis 
sissippi,  one  thousand  miles,  to  New  Orleans,,  fifty-two  years 
ago,  when  nearly  the  whole  shores  of  these  rivers,  with  their 
heavy  forests,  were  in  their  native  state,  inhabited  only  by 
Indians  and  wild  beasts.  They  lived  upon  the  game  and 
fish  they  could  kill  or  purchase  from  the  various  tribes  of 
Indians  they  visited  along  the  banks,  and  slept  sometimes 
in  their  leaking  and  rickety  boat,  or  amongst  the  canebrake, 
and  mosquitos,  and  alligators,  and  rattlesnakes  on  the  shores. 

I  took  the  liberty  to  ask  his  Majesty  on  this  occasion 
whether  the  story  that  has  been  current  in  the  American 
prints  "of  an  Indian  bleeding  him"  was  correct;  to  which 
he  replied,  "  No,  not  exactly  ;  it  had  been  misunderstood. 
He  had  bled  himself  on  one  occasion  in  presence  of  some 
Indians  and  a  number  of  country  people,  when  he  had  been 
thrown  out  of  his  waggon,  and  carried,  much  injured,  to  a 
country  inn ;  and  the  people  around  him,  seeing  the  ease 
and  success  with  which  he  did  it,  supposed  him,  of  course, 
to  be  a  physician ;  and  when  he  had  sufficiently  recovered 
from  his  fall  to  be  able  to  start  on  his  tour  again,  the  neigh 
bours  assembled  around  him  and  proposed  that  he  should 
abandon  his  plan  of  going  farther  west ;  that  if  he  would 
remain  amongst  them  they  would  show  him  much  better 


VISIT  TO  M.  PASSY.  293 

land  than  he  would  find  by  proceeding  on,  and  they  would  also 
elect  him  county  physician,,  which  they  stood  much  in  need 
of,  and  in  which  capacity  he  would  meet  no  opposition.  He 
thanked  them  for  their  kindness,  assuring  them  that  he  was 
not  a  physician,  and  also  that  he  was  not  in  search  of  lands, 
and,  taking  leave,  drove  off." 

He  also  gave  an  account  of  their  visit  to  General  Wash- 

O 

ington  at  Mount  Vernon,  where  they  remained  several  days. 
General  Washington  gave  them  directions  about  the  route 
to  follow  in  the  journey  they  were  about  to  make  across  the 
Alleghany  Mountains  on  horseback,  and  gave  them  also 
several  letters  of  introduction  to  be  made  use  of  on  their  way. 

While  we  were  thus  listening  to  the  narrations  of  his 
Majesty,  my  kind  and  faithful  nurse  was  approaching  from 
the  other  end  of  the  room  and  leading  up  my  little  children 
(Plate  No.  22),  whom  he  immediately  recognised  as  my 
little  family,  and  in  the  most  kind  and  condescending 
manner  took  them  by  their  hands  and  chatted  with  them  in 
language  and  sentences  suited  to  their  age. 

His  next  object  was  to  designate  the  paintings  he  wished 
me  to  copy  and  somewhat  enlarge,  and  soon  pointed  out 
the  number  of  fifteen,  which  I  was  commanded  to  paint  for 
the  palace  at  Versailles. 

During  the  time  that  my  collection  was  thus  remaining 
in  the  Louvre  many  distinguished  persons  about  the  Court 
had  access  to  it,  and  amongst  the  number  an  excellent  and 
kind  lady,  Madame  Passy,  the  wife  of  one  of  the  distin 
guished  members  of  the  House  of  Deputies.  This  charm 
ing  lady  sought  an  acquaintance  with  the  Indians  also,  and, 
taking  a  deep  interest  in  their  character  and  situation,  in 
vited  them  all  to  dine  at  her  house,  where  they  were  treated 
with  genuine  kindness  and  liberality,  which  they  will  never 
forget. 


(     294     ) 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

The  Author  leaves  his  Collection  in  the  Louvre,  and  arrives  with  the  Indians 
in  Bruxelles — Indians  at  the  soiree  of  the  American  Minister  in  Bruxellcs 
— Author's  reception  by  the  King  in  the  Palace — Small-pox  among  the 
Indians — Indians  unable  to  visit  the  Palace — Exhibition  closes — Seven 
sick  with  small-pox — Death  of  one  of  them — His  will — A  second  dies — 
His  will — The  rest  recover — Faithful  attentions  of  Daniel — The  Author 
accompanies  them  to  Antwerp,  and  pays  their  expenses  to  London  on  a 
steamer — Death  of  the  War-chief  in  London — His  will — The  Author 
raises  money  by  subscription  and  sends  to  them— Letter  from  the  sur 
vivors,  in  England,  to  the  Author — Drawings  by  the  War-chief — The 
Author  stopped  in  the  streets  of  London  and  invited  to  see  the  skeleton 
of  the  War-chief! — His  indignation — Subsequent  deaths  of  four  others  of 
this  party  in  England — The  three  parties  of  Indians  in  Europe — Their 
objects — Their  success — Their  conduct — Their  reception  and  treatment — 
Things  which  they  saw  and  learned — Estimates  and  statistics  of  civilized 
life  which  they  have  carried  home — Their  mode  of  reasoning  from  such 
premises — And  the  probable  results. 

DURING  the  time  that  my  collection  was  exposed  to  the  ex 
clusive  views  of  the  Royal  Family  and  their  guests,  the 
Indians  were  lying  still,  at  my  expense,  which  was  by  no 
means  a  trifling  item.  The  young  man  whom  I  said  they 
were  under  a  contract  with  to  pay  them  so  much  per  month 
had  performed  his  agreement  with  them  for  the  two  first 
months,  and  when  the  third  month's  wages  became  due  he 
declared  to  them  and  to  me  that  he  could  not  pay  them,  nor 
pay  their  expenses  back  to  London,  as  he  was  obligated  to 
do.  These  duties  then  devolved  on  me,  or  at  least,  the 
Indians  having  been  so  long  under  my  control  and  direction, 
I  assumed  them,  and  told  the  chiefs  I  would  pay  their 
expenses  to  London,  and  probably  make  something  for 
them  on  the  way,  after  my  exhibition  in  the  Louvre  was 
finished. 


ARRIVAL  IN  BRUXELLES.  295 

They  were  thus  lying  idle  at  this  time^  waiting  for  me  to 
be  at  liberty  to  go  with  them,  and,  as  I  have  said,  living  at 
my  expense.  1  told  them  that  I  designed  going  by  the  way 
of  Belgium,  and  making  their  exhibitions  in  Bruxelles, 
Antwerp,  and  Ghent  for  a  few  weeks,  the  whole  receipts  of 
which,  over  the  expenses,  they  should  have,  and  I  fully 
believed  it  would  be  sufficient  to  pay  their  expenses  quite 
home  to  their  own  country;  and  that  I  would  also,  as  I  had 
promised,  pay  all  their  expenses  from  Paris  to  London  myself. 
With  this  design  and  with  these  views,  leaving  my  col 
lection  in  the  Louvre,  I  started  with  the  Indians  for 
Bruxelles,  where  we  arrived  the  next  evening. 

We  were  all  delighted  with  the  appearance  of  Bruxelles, 
and  the  Indians  in  fine  glee,  in  the  fresh  recollections  of  the 
honours  just  paid  them  in  Paris,  and  the  golden  prospect 
which  they  considered  now  lay  before  them.  But  little 
did  they  dream,  poor  fellows  !  of  the  different  fate  that 
there  awaited  them.  While  resting  a  few  days,  preparing 
for  the  commencement  of  their  exhibitions,  they  were  kindly 
invited,  Avith  the  author,  to  attend  the  soiree  of  the 
American  Minister,  Mr.  Clemson,  where  they  were  ushered 
into  a  brilliant  and  numerous  crowd  of  distinguished  and 
fashionable  people,  and  seemed  to  be  the  lions  of  the 
evening,  admired  and  complimented  by  all,  and  their  way 
was  thus  paved  for  the  commencement  of  their  exhibitions. 
1  had  in  the  mean  time  made  all  the  preparations  and  the 
necessary  outlays  for  their  operations,  which  they  merely 
began  upon,  when  it  became  necessary  to  suspend  their 
exhibitions,  owing  to  one  of  the  number  having  been  taken 
sick  with  the  small-pox. 

I  had  at  this  time  an  audience  appointed  with  the  King, 
at  the  Palace,  where  I  went  and  was  most  kindly  received 
and  amused  in  half  an  hour's  conversation  with  His  Majesty 
about  the  condition  and  modes  of  the  American  Indians. 
He  expressed  the  deepest  sympathy  for  them  and  solicitude 
for  their  welfare  and  protection,  and,  a  few  days  after  my 
audience,  transmitted  to  me,  through  one  of  his  ministers, 


296  DEATHS  FIIOM  SMALL-POX. 

a  beautiful  gold  medal,  with  an  appropriate  inscription 
on  it. 

The  nature  of  the  sickness  that  had  now  appeared 
amongst  the  Indians  prevented  the  contemplated  interview 
at  the  Palace,  and  also  all  communication  with  the  public- 
It  was  still  hoped  by  the  physicians  that  a  few  days  would 
remove  all  difficulty,  but  it  was  destined  to  be  otherwise, 
for  in  a  few  days  two  others  were  attacked,  and  in  a  day  or 
two  more  another  and  another,  and  at  last  they  were  fein 
that  pitiable  and  alarming  state  that  seven  of  them  were  on 
their  backs  with  that  awful  and  (to  them)  most  fatal  of  all 
diseases. 

My  position  then,  as  the  reader  will  perceive,  was  one  of 
a  most  distressing  and  painful  kind,  with  my  natural  sym 
pathy  for  their  race,  and  now  with  the  whole  responsibility 
for  the  expenses,  lives,  and  welfare  of  these  poor  people  on 
my  shoulders,  their  only  friend  and  protector  in  a  foreign 
country,  as  their  conductor  had  left  them  and  returned  to 
London,  and  my  own  life  in  imminent  danger  whilst  I  was 
attending  on  them. 

One  of  these  poor  fellows  died  in  the  course  of  a  few 
days  in  their  rooms,  another  died  in  one  of  the  hospitals  to 
which  he  was  removed,  and  a  third  died  a  few  days  after 
they  reached  London,  though  he  was  in  good  health  when 
he  travelled  across  the  Channel. 

Such  were  the  melancholy  i*esults  of  this  awful  catastrophe, 
which  the  reader  will  easily  see  broke  up  all  their  plans  of 
exhibitions  in  Belgium,  and  ended  in  the  death  of  three  of 
the  -finest  men  of  the  party. 

Their  sickness  in  Bruxelles  detained  me  there  near  two 
months  before  the  survivors  were  well  enough  to  travel, 
during  which  gloomy  time  I  had  opportunity  enough  to 
test  the  fidelity  of  my  man  Daniel  and  his  attachment  to 
the  Indians,  who  stayed  by  them  night  and  day,  fearless  of 
his  own  danger,  as  he  lifted  them  about  in  his  arms  in  their 
loathsome  condition  both  when  dead  and  alive. 

When  the  party  were  well  enough  to  travel  I  went  to 


WILLS  OF  THE  TWO  BRAVES.  297 

Antwerp  with  them,  and  placed  them  on  a  steamer  for 
London,  having  paid  their  fare  and  given  them  a  little 
money  to  cover  their  first  expenses  when  they  should  arrive 
there.  I  then  took  leave  of  them,  and  returned  to  my 
little  family  in  Paris,  having  been  absent  near  three  months, 
with  an  expenditure  of  350/. 

With  the  poor  fellows  who  died  there  seemed  to  be  a 
presentiment  writh  each,  the  moment  he  was  broken  out 
with  the  disease,  that  he  was  to  die,  and  a  very  curious  cir 
cumstance  attended  this  conviction  in  each  case. 

The  first  one,  when  he  found  the  disease  was  well  iden 
tified  on  him,  sat  down  upon  the  floor  with  the  next  one,  his 
faithful  and  confiding  friend,  and,  having  very  deliberately 
told  him  he  was  going  to  die,  unlocked  his  little  trunk,  and 
spreading  all  his  trinkets,  money,  &c.,  upon  the  floor,  be 
queathed  them  to  his  friends,  making  the  other  the  sole 
executor  of  his  will,  intrusting  them  all  to  him,  directing 
him  to  take  them  to  his  country  and  deliver  them  with  his 
own  hand.  As  he  was  intrusting  these  precious  gifts,  with 
his  commands,  to  an  Indian,  he  was  certain,  poor  fellow ! 
that  they  would  be  sacredly  preserved  and  delivered,  and 
he  then  locked  his  little  trunk,  and,  having  given  to  his 
friend  the  key,  he  turned  to  his  bed,  where  he  seemed  com 
posed  and  ready  to  die,  because,  he  said,  it  was  the  will  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  he  didn't  think  that  the  Great 
Spirit  would  have  selected  him  unless  it  was  to  better  his 
condition  in  some  way. 

About  the  time  of  the  death  of  this  young  man  his  con 
fiding  and  faithful  friend  was  discovered  to  be  breaking  out 
with  the  disease  also,  and,  seeming  to  be  under  a  similar 
conviction,  he  called  Say-say-fjon  (the  War-chief)  to  him, 
and,  like  the  other,  unlocked  his  little  trunk,  and,  taking 
out  his  medal  from  the  King,  and  other  presents  and  money, 
he  designated  a  similar  distribution  of  them  amongst  his 
relatives ;  and  trusting  to  the  War-chief  to  execute  his  will, 
he  locked  his  trunk,  having  taken  the  last  look  at  his  little 
hard-earned  treasures,  and,  unlocking  that  of  his  deceased 


298  DEATH  AND  WILL  OF  THE  WAR-CHIEF. 

companion,  and  designating,  as  well  as  he  could,  the  manner 
in  which  the  verbal  instructions  had  been  left  with  him, 
gave  the  key  to  the  War- chief,  and  begged  of  him  to  take 
charge  of  the  trunk  and  the  presents,  and  to  sec  them 
bestowed  according  to  the  will  of  the  testator.  After  this 
he  turned  away  from  his  little  worldly  treasures,  and  sud 
denly  lost  all  knowledge  of  them  in  the  distress  of  the  awful 
disease  that  soon  terminated  his  existence. 

The  War-chief  was  one  who  escaped  the  disease  in 
Bruxelles,  and,  being  amongst  those  whom  I  took  to  Ant 
werp  and  sent  by  steamer  to  London,  was  at  that  time  in 
good  health  and  spirits ;  but  letters  which  I  received  a  few 
days  after  their  arrival  in  London  informed  me  that  he  was 
there  attacked  with  the  same  disease,  and,  most  singular  to 
relate,  as  soon  as  he  discovered  the  disease  breaking  out 
upon  his  skin,  he  said  that  he  should  die,  and,  calling  the 
chief  Mauri-gild- daus  to  him,  he,  like  the  others,  opened  his 
trunk,  and,  willing  his  gold  medal  from  the  hand  of  Louis 
Philippe,  to  his  little  son,  and  his  other  trinkets  and  money 
to  his  wife  and  other  relatives,  intrusted  the  whole  to  the 
chief  to  execute.  He  then  unlocked  the  trunks  of  his  two 
friends  who  were  dead,  and,  as  well  as  he  could  recollect 
them,  communicated  to  Maun-gua-daus  the  nature  of  the 
two  bequests  that  had  been  intrusted  to  him,  and  died, 
leaving  the  chief  to  be  the  bearer  of  all  the  little  effects 
they  had  earned,  and  sole  executor  of  their  three  wills. 

It  is  a  fact  which  may  be  of  interest  to  be  made  known,  that 
all  of  this  party  had  been  vaccinated  in  their  own  country, 
and  supposed  themselves  protected  from  the  disease;  and 
also  that  the  only  three  full-blooded  men  of  the  party  died. 
The  other  four  who  had  the  disease  had  it  in  a  modified 
form,  and,  in  all  probability,  with  the  three  who  died,  the 
vaccine  matter  had  not  been  properly  communicated,  or, 
what  is  more  probable,  and  often  the  case  in  the  exposed 
lives  they  lead,  it  had  in  some  way  been  prevented  from 
taking  its  usual  effect. 

After  their  misfortunes  in  Belgium  and  in   London  the 


INDIANS'  LETTER  TO  THE  AUTHOR.  299 

excellent  lady  of  the  American  Ambassador  in  Bruxelles 
raised,  by  a  subscription,  several  hundred  francs  and  sent 
to  me  in  Paris,  to  which  I  got  other  additions  in  that  city, 
and  forwarded  to  th->m  in  England,  to  assist  in  paying 
their  expenses  back  to  their  own  country;  and  shortly  after, 
and  before  they  embarked  for  America,  I  received  the  fol 
lowing  letter  from  them,  which  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  myself 
to  insert  here,  lest  any  one  should  be  led  to  believe  that  I 
did  less  than  my  duty  to  these  unfortunate  people  : — 

"  To  GEO.  CATLIX,  Esq.,  now  in  Paris. 
"  OUR  DEAR  FRIEXD.  "  London,  Jan.  27,  1846. 

"  We  send  you  our  words  on  paper  to  let  you  know  that  we  are 
thankful  for  your  kindness  to  us.  You  have  done  everything  to  make  us 
happy  while  with  you  in  Paris  and  Belgium  ;  and  as  all  our  people  know  in 
America  that  you  are  indeed  their  best  friend,  they  will  be  glad  to  hear 
that  you  have  taken  us  into  your  kind  care  whilst  we  were  in  a  foreign  land, 
and  that  while  you  were  in  a  deep  affliction  with  your  own  family. 

MAUN-GUA-DAUS, 

KE-CHE-US-SIX, 

A-WUN-NE-WA-BE, 

WAU-BUD-DICK, 

UH-WL-S-SIG-GEE-ZIGH-GOOK-KWAY." 

The  above  letter  was  spontaneous  on  their  part,  and 
written  in  the  hand  of  Maun-gua-daus,  the  chief,  who  spoke 
and  wrote  the  English  language  very  correctly. 

1  was  much  shocked  and  distressed  to  hear  of  the  death 
of  Say-say-gon,  the  War-chief,  for  he  was  a  remarkably  fine 
Indian,  and  had  become  much  attached  to  me.  His  life,  as 
a  warrior  and  a  hunter,  had  been  one  of  an  extraordinary 
nature,  and  the  principal  incidents  of  it,  particularly  in  the 
hunting  department,  he  had  been  for  some  weeks  engaged, 
just  before  their  disastrous  sickness,  in  illustrating  by  a 
series  of  designs  in  his  rude  way,  presenting  me  a  portfolio 
of  them,  with  the  story  of  each,  which  I  wrote  down  from  his 
own  lips  as  he  narrated  them. 

This  most  amusing  and  original  keepsake,  which  I  shall 
treasure  up  as  long  as  I  live,  and  which  I  regret  that  the 
dimensions  of  this  work  did  not  allow  me  the  space  to  insert, 


300  ENCOUNTER  WITH  A  BEAK. 

can  at  all  times  be  seen  by  the  curious  of  my  friends  who 
desire  to  see  it. 

For  the  amusement  of  the  reader,  however,  I  have  made 
room  for  a  couple  of  his  drawings,  which  will  convey  some 
idea  of  their  general  character,  and  of  the  decided  clever 
ness  of  this  good  fellow  at  story-telling  and  design.  The 
woodcuts  are  traced  from  the  originals,  and  are  therefore  as 
near  fac-similes  as  I  could  make  them.  Plate  No.  23  re 
presents  Pane-way-ee-tung,  the  brother-in-law  of  Say-say-gon, 
crossing  the  river  Thomas  in  a  bark  canoe,  who  had  the 
following  curious  and  amusing  encounter  with  a  bear  which 
he  met  swimming  in  the  middle  of  the  river.  Though  the 
Indian  had  no  other  weapon  than  a  paddle,  he  pursued  the 
bear,  and,  overtaking  it,  struck  it  a  blow,  upon  which  it 
made  an  effort  to  climb  into  the  canoe,  by  which  the  canoe 
was  upset  and  the  Indian  sank  under  it.  He  arose  to  the 
surface,  however,  just  behind  the  canoe,  which  in  its  pro 
gress  had  passed  over  him,  and,  being  bottom  upwards,  the 
bear  had  climbed  upon  it,  as  seen  in  the  sketch,  and,  having 
seen  the  man  sink  under  it,  was  feeling  under  the  canoe 
with  his  paws  in  hopes  of  getting  hold  of  him.  The  bear, 
having  made  no  calculation  for  the  progress  of  the  canoe, 
had  not  thought  of  looking  behind  it  for  his  enemy,  but 
balanced  himself  with  difficulty  without  being  able  to  look 
back ;  and  whilst  he  was  thus  engaged  feeling  for  his  enemy 
under  the  canoe  the  Indian  silently  swam  behind  it,  and, 
cautiously  pushing  it  forward  with  his  hand,  succeeded  in 
moving  it  near  the  shore,  where  he  discovered  his  friend 
Say-say-gon  hunting  with  his  rifle,  who  was  in  waiting  for 
it,  and  when  near  enough  shot  it  in  the  head. 

Plate  No.  24  is  his  illustration  of  the  first  interview 
between  white  men  and  the  Ojibbeway  Indians ;  his  descrip 
tion  of  it  is  as  follows  : — 

"  Gitch-ee-gaw-ga-osh  (the  point  that  remains  for  ever),  who  died  many 
snows  since,  and  who  was  so  old  that  he  had  smoked  with  three  generations, 
said  that  his  grandfather,  On-daig,  met  the  first  white  man  who  ever  entered 
an  Ojibbeway's  wigwam.  That  white  man  was  a  great  chief,  who  wore  a  red 
coat.  He  had  many  M'arriors  with  him,  who  all  came  in  sight  of  the  village 


\\ 

*^^. 
&, 


.-  ^/ 


n^  i  „ 

x.A ///       2  )  Ju 

>  n^1 

->\  A    V      1^ 

:  ^  ^3/f.1 


""  •>,, 


RIFLING  OF  INDIAN  GRAVES.  301 

of  On-daig  (the  crow),  and,  leaving  his  warriors  behind,  he  walked  towards 
the  wigwam  of  On-daig,  who  came  out,  with  his  pipe  of  peace  in  one  hand, 
and  his  war-club  in  the  other.  On-daig  offered  his  pipe  to  the  white  chief 
to  smoke,  who  put  his  sword  behind  him  in  one  hand,  and  raised  his  hat 
with  the  other.  On-daig  never  had  seen  a  white  man's  hat  before,  and, 
thinking  the  white  chief  was  going  to  strike  him  with  it,  drew  his  war- 
club.  They  soon,  however,  understood  each  other,  and  smoked  the  pipe 
together." 

But  a  few  months  after  the  death  of  this  fine  Indian  I 
was  on  a  visit  to  London,  and  while  walking  in  Piccadilly 
was  accosted  by  an  old  acquaintance,  who  in  our  conversa 
tion  informed  me  that  the  skeleton  of  my  old  friend  the 
War-chief  had  been  preserved,  and  he  seemed  to  think  it 
might  be  an  interesting  thing  for  me  to  see.  The  struggle 
between  the  ebullition  of  indignation  and  the  quiescence  of 
disgust  rendered  me  for  the  moment  almost  unfit  for  a 
reply  ;  and  I  withheld  it  for  a  moment,  until  the  poor  Indian's 
ideas  of  hysenas  before  described  had  time  to  run  through 
my  mind,  and  some  other  similar  reflections,  wrhen  I  calmly 
replied,  "  I  have  no  doubt  but  the  skeleton  is  a  subject  of 
interest,  but  I  shall  not  have  time  to  see  it." 

My  friend  and  I  parted  here,  and  I  went  on  through 
Piccadilly,  and  I  know  not  where,  meditating  on  the  virtues 
of  scientific  and  mercenary  man.  I  thought  of  the  heroic 
Oseeola,  who  was  captured  when  he  was  disarmed  and  was 
bearing  a  white  flag  in  his  hand;  who  died  a  prisoner  of  war, 
and  whose  head  was  a  few  months  afterwards  offered  for  sale 
in  the  city  of  New  York  !  I  thought  also  of  the  thousands 
of  Indian  graves  I  had  seen  on  the  frontier  thrown  open 
by  sacrilegious  hands  for  the  skulls  and  trinkets  they  en 
closed,  to  which  the  retiring  relatives  were  lurking  back  to 
take  the  last  glance  of,  and  to  mingle  their  last  tears 
over,  with  the  horror  of  seeing  the  bones  of  their  fathers 
and  children  strewed  over  the  ground  by  hands  too  averse 
to  labour  and  too  ruthless  to  cover  them  again. 

I  was  here  forcibly  struck  with  the  fitness  of  Jim's  re 
marks  about  the  hyaenas,  of  "  their  resemblance  to  Chemo- 
Mmons  or  pale-faces,"  when  I  told  him  that  they  lived  by 


302  MORE  DEATHS. 

digging  up  and  devouring  bodies  that  had  been  consigned 
to  the  grave. 

I  thought  also  of  the  distress  of  mind  of  the  Little 
Wolf  when  he  lost  his  child  at  Dundee — of  his  objec 
tions  to  bury  it  in  a  foreign  land  ;  and  also  of  the  double 
pang  with  which  the  fine  fellow  suffered  when  dire  necessity 
compelled  him  to  leave  the  body  of  his  affectionate  wife 
amidst  the  graves  of  the  thousands  whose  limbs  and  bones 
were  no  curiosity.  And  I  could  thus  appreciate  the  earnest 
ness  with  which,  in  his  last  embrace  of  me  in  Paris,  he 
desired  me  to  drive  every  day  in  a  cab,  as  he  had  been  in 
the  habit  of  doing,  to  the  cemetery  of  Montmartre,  to  see 
that  no  one  disturbed  the  grave  of  her  whom  he  had  loved, 
but  was  then  to  leave ;  and  that  I  should  urge  his  kind 
friend  M.  Vattemare  to  hasten  the  completion  of  the  beauti 
ful  monument  he  was  getting  made,  that  it  might  be  sure 
to  be  erected  over  her  grave  before  she  might  be  dug  up. 

With  regard  to  the  remainder  of  the  party  of  Ojibbc- 
ways  whom  I  have  said  I  had  advised  to  return  as  soon  as 
possible  to  their  own  country,  I  am  grieved  to  inform  the 
reader  that,  from  letters  from  several  friends  in  England,  1 
have  learned  that  the  chief  has  persisted  in  travelling 
through  various  parts  of  the  kingdom,  making  his  exhibi 
tions  of  Indian  life  during  the  last  year,  and  has  had  the 
singular  and  lamentable  misfortune  of  burying  three  of  his 
children  and  his  wife  ! 

These,  being  facts,  show  a  loss  of  seven  out  of  twelve  of 
that  party,  affording  a  shocking  argument  against  the  pro 
priety  of  persons  bringing  Indians  to  Europe  with  a  view 
to  making  their  exhibitions  a  just  or  profitable  speculation. 

Three  of  the  former  party  died  while  under  my  direction, 
as  I  have  described  in  the  foregoing  pages ;  and  a  noble  fine 
Indian,  by  the  name  of  Jock-o-sot,  of  the  Sac  tribe,  brought 
to  England  by  a  Mr.  Wallace  about  the  same  time,  was 
dying,  and  died  on  his  way  home,  from  causes  he  met  in 
this  country ;  making  the  melancholy  list  of  eleven  who 
lost  their  lives  in  the  space  of  eighteen  months. 


OBJECTS  IN  VISITING  EUROPE.  303 

These  are  facts  which  bring  the  reader's  mind,  as  well  as 
that  of  the  author,  to  inquire  what  were  the  objects  of  these 
parties  in  England — how  they  came  here — and  what  their 
success,  as  well  as  what  will  be  the  results  that  will  probably 
flow  from  them.  Each  of  these  speculations  has  undoubtedly 
been  projected  by  the  white  men  who  brought  the  Indians 
over,  having  conceived  a  plan  of  employing  and  taking  to 
Europe  such  parties,  who  would  be  great  curiosities  in  a 
foreign  country,  and  by  their  exhibitions  enabled  to  realise 
a  great  deal  of  money. 

These  parties,  in  each  case,  have  been  employed,  and  in 
duced  to  come  on  condition  of  a  certain  sum  of  money  to  be 
paid  them  per  month,  or  so  much  per  year,  to  be  given  them 
on  their  return  to  their  own  country,  with  the  additional 
advantage  of  having  all  their  expenses  borne,  and  them 
selves  entitled  to  all  the  numerous  presents  they  would 
receive  during  their  travels. 

As  I  have  been  with  each  of  these  parties  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  while  they  were  making  their  exhibitions, 
I  feel  quite  sure  that  this  last  condition  of  their  engage 
ments  has  been  strictly  kept  with  them,  and  that  by  it  the 
Indians  profited  to  a  considerable  amount  from  the  kind 
and  charitable  hands  of  people  whom  they  were  amusing. 
But  how  far  they  have  been  benefited  by  the  other  con 
ditions  of  their  engagements,  after  they  have  returned  to 
their  homes,  I  am  unable  to  tell. 

As  for  their  reception  by  the  public  generally  where 
they  have  travelled,  and  their  conduct  whilst  amongst  and 
dealing  with  the  world,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure,  as  a 
living  witness,  to  tender  to  that  public  my  grateful  acknow 
ledgments  for  the  kindness  and  friendship  with  which  they 
received  those  unsophisticated  people  ;  and  in  justice  to  the 
Indians,  as  well  as  for  the  satisfaction  of  those  who  knew 
them,  to  acknowledge  the  perfect  propriety  of  their  conduct 
and  dignity  of  deportment  whilst  they  were  abroad. 

There  were  of  the  three  parties  thirty-five  in  all,  and  I 
am  proud,  for  the  character  of  the  abused  race  which  I  am 


304  GOOD  CONDUCT  OF  THE  INDIANS. 

yet  advocating,  that,  for  the  year  and  a  half  that  I  was  daily 
and  hourly  in  familiarity  with  them  in  Europe,  I  never  dis 
covered  either  of  them  intoxicated,  or  in  a  passion  with  one 
another,  or  with  the  world.  They  met  the  people,  and  all 
the  wondrous  and  unaccountable  works  which  their  eyes 
were  daily  opened  to  in  the  enlightened  world,  with  an  even 
ness  of  temper  and  apparent  ease  and  familiarity  which 
surprised  all  who  saw  them. 

Their  conduct  was  uniformly  decent  and  respectful,  and 
through  their  whole  tour,  whilst  abroad,  they  furnished  a 
striking  corroboration  of  two  of  the  leading  traits  of  their 
national  character,  which  I  have  advanced  in  my  former 
work,  of  their  strict  adherance  to  promises  they  make,  and 
of  their  never-ending  garrulity  and  anecdote  when,  in  their 
little  fireside  circles,  they  are  out  of  the  embarrassing  gaze 
of  the  enlightened  world,  who  are  wiser  than  themselves. 

For  these  nightly  gossips,  which  generally  took  place  in 
their  private  apartments  after  the  labours  of  the  day  were 
done  and  the  pipe  was  lit,  the  excitements  of  the  day,  and 
the  droll  and  marvellous  things  they  had  seen  in  their 
exhibition-room  and  in  the  streets  of  London  and  Paris, 
afforded  them  the  endless  themes  ;  and  of  these  little  sittings 
I  was  almost  an  inseparable  member,  as  will  have  been  seen 
by  many  anecdotes  entered  in  the  pages  which  the  reader 
has  already  passed  over. 

It  will  be  pleasing  therefore  to  the  reader,  at  least  to 
those  who  felt  an  interest  in  those  poor  people,  to  learn, 
that,  though  they  might  have  been  objects  of  concern  and 
pity  whilst  making  a  show  of  themselves  in  this  country, 
they  were,  nevertheless,  happy,  and  in  the  height  of  amuse 
ments,  philosophically  enjoying  life  as  they  went  along ; 
and  to  those  who  know  me,  and  feel  any  anxiety  for  my 
welfare,  that,  although  I  was  aiding  them  in  a  mode  of  liv 
ing  to  which  I  was  always  opposed,  I  was  happy  in  their 
society,  and  also  in  the  belief  that  I  was  rendering  them  an 
essential  service,  although  my  labours  were  much  less  suc 
cessful  as  regarded  my  own  pecuniary  interest. 


MOTIVES  FOR  BRINGING  INDIANS  TO  EUROPE.         305 
One  of  the  leading  inducements  for  Indians  to  enter  into 

O 

such  enterprises,  and  the  one  which  gains  the  consent  of 
their  friends  and  relations  around  them,  and  more  parti 
cularly  is  advanced  to  the  world  as  the  plausible  motive  for 
taking  Indians  abroad,  is  that  of  enlightening  them — of 
opening  their  eyes  to  the  length  and  breadth  of  civilization, 
and  all  the  inventions  and  improvements  of  enlightened 
society.  These  three  parties  (having  met  their  old  friend 
and  advocate  abroad,  who  has  introduced  them  to  the 
highest  society  of  the  world — has  led  them  into  three  palaces, 
and  from  those  down  through  every  grade  of  society,  and 
into  almost  every  institution  and  factory  of  the  continent  — 
whose  eyes  and  whose  ears  have  been  opened  to  most  of  the 
information  and  improvements  of  this  enlightened  age,  and 
who  have  gone  back  to  relate  and  to  apply,  in  their  own 
country,  the  knowledge  they  have  gained)  will  furnish  the 
best  argument  on  record,  for  or  against  the  propriety  of 
bringing  American  Indians  abroad,  as  the  means  of  enlight 
ening  them  and  making  them  suitable  teachers  of  civiliza 
tion  when  they  go  back  to  the  wilderness.  And  though  the 
pages  of  this  book  cannot  sum  up  the  results  of  these  visits, 
which  can  only  be  looked  up  ultimately  in  the  respective 
tribes  to  which  they  have  returned,  yet  a  few  words  more 
upon  the  materials  with  which  they  have  returned,  and  the 
author's  opinion  (in  his  familiar  knowledge  of  the  Indians' 
mode  of  reasoning)  of  their  probable  results,  may  not  be 
.obtrusive,  as  a  sort  of  recapitulation  of  scenes  and  estimates, 
with  their  tendencies,  made  in  the  foregoing  pages. 

It  is  natural,  or  at  least  habitual,  to  suppose  that,  for  the 
ignorant  to  learn  is  always  to  improve  ;  and  that  what  a 
savage  people  can  learn  amongst  civilized  society  must  l>e  for 
their  benefit.  But  in  this  view  of  the  case,  which  would 
generally  be  correct,  there  arises  a  very  fair  question  how 
far,  for  the  benefit  of  the  unenlightened  parts  of  the  world, 
it  is  judicious  to  acquaint  them  at  a  glance,  \v  th  the  whole 
glare  of  the  lights  and  shades  of  civilized  life,  by  opening 
the  eyes  of  such  parties  to  so  many  virtues  and  so  many 

VOL.  ir.  x 


306  INFLUENCES  UPON  THE  INDIANS 

luxuries  and  refinements  so  far  beyond  the  possibility  of 
their  acquiring,  and  at  the  same  time  to  so  many  vices,  to 
so  much  poverty  and  beggary  not  known  in  their  simple 
modes  of  life,  to  teach  to  their  people  and  to  descant  on 
when  they  get  home  ;  themselves  as  well  as  those  whom  they 
are  teaching,  despairing  of  ever  attaining  to  what  they 
have  seen  to  admire  and  covet,  and  unwilling  to  descend  to 
the  degrading  vices  and  poverty  which  they  have  seen 
mixed  up  in  the  mysterious  and  money-making  medley  of 
civilization. 

If  I  startle  the  readers,  let  them  reflect  for  a  moment  upon 
what  perhaps  some  of  them  have  never  yet  exactly  appre 
ciated — that  a  man,  to  know  how  his  own  house  looks,  must 
see  how  the  houses  of  others  appear.  To  know  howr  his  own 
city  and  country  actually  look,  and  how  his  countrymen  act 
and  live,  he  should  see  how  cities  and  countries  look,  and 
how  people  act,  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  If  he  will  do 
this,  and  then  leave  all  civilized  countries  a  while,  and  the 
din  and  clatter,  and  the  struggles  for  wealth  amidst  the 
rags  and  vices  of  the  community  he  has  lived  in,  and  taste 
for  a  time  the  simple,  silent  life  of  the  wilderness,  he  will 
find,  on  returning  to  his  home,  that  he  has  been  raised 
amongst  a  variety  of  vices  and  follies  which  he  never  before 
had  duly  appreciated,  and  will  then  realise,  to  a  certain 
degree,  the  view  which  the  savages  take  of  the  scenes  in 
civilized  life  when  they  look  into  the  strange  medley  of 
human  existence  in  our  great  towns  and  cities,  where  all  the 
contrasts  are  before  their  eyes,  of  rich  and  poor,  equally 
struggling  for  wealth  or  the  means  of  existence. 

With  such  eyes  were  those  wild  people  here  to  look ;  and 
without  the  cares  and  hourly  and  momentary  concerns  which 
lead  the  scrambling,  busy  world  through  and  across  the 
streets,  blinded  to  what  is  about  them,  the  poor  but  entirely 
independent  Indians  were  daily  and  hourly  scanning  from 
the  top  of  their  buss,  or  the  platform  of  their  exhibition- 
rooms,  the  scenes,  and  manners,  and  expressions  that  were 
about  them  ;  and  though  they  looked  with  unenlightened 


OF  THEIR  SOJOURN  IX  EUROPE.  307 

eyes,  they  saw  and  correctly  appreciated  many  things  in 
London  and  Paris  which  the  eyes  of  Londoners  and  Pari 
sians  scarcely  sec.  They  saw  their  sights  and  got  their 
estimates  and  statistics,  and  in  the  leisure  of  their  inquisi 
tive  and  abstracted  minds  drew  deductions  which  few  of 
the  business  world  have  leisure  or  inclination  to  make  ; 
and  with  all  of  these  they  have  gone  back  to  be  the  illus 
trators  and  teachers  of  civilization  in  the  wilderness. 

Each  one  will  be  a  verbal  chronicler,  as  long  as  he  lives,  of 
the  events  and  scenes  he  witnessed  while  abroad,  and  Wash- 
kii-mon-ya  (or  Jim),  with  his  smattering  of  civilization,,  and 
his  book  of  entries,  which  he  will  find  enough  to  read  and 
translate,  will  furnish  abundance  of  written  evidence  for 
them  to  comment  upon  to  their  nation,  who  will  be  looking 
to  them  for  information  of  the  secret  of  civilization. 

The  bazaar  of  toys  and  trinkets  presented  to  them,  with 
the  money  and  medals  which  they  will  open  to  view  in  the 
wilderness,  will  glitter  in  the  eyes  of  their  people,  and,  it  is 
to  be  feared,  may  be  an  inducement  to  others  to  follow  their 
example. 

Their  Bibles  had  increased  in  their  various  boxes  since 
the  last  census  to  more  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  ;  their  reli 
gious  tracts,  which  they  could  not  read,  to  some  thousands  ; 
their  dolls,  in  all,  to  fifty ;  and  other  useless  toys,  to  a  great 
number.  Then  came  their  medals,  their  grosses  of  buttons, 
their  beads,  ribbons,  brooches,  fans,  knives,  daggers,  combs,  pis 
tols,  shawls,  blankets,  handkerchiefs,  canes,  umbrellas,  beaver  hats, 
caps,  coats,  bracelets,  pins,  eye-glasses,  &c.  &c.  ;  and  then  their 
prints — views  of  countries  they  had  seen,  of  churches,  cathe 
drals,  maps  of  London  and  Paris,  views  of  bridges,  of  factories, 
of  coal-pits,  of  catacombs,  of  Morgues,  &c.  &c.,  to  an  almost 
countless  number,  all  to  be  opened  and  commented  upon, 
and  then  scattered,  as  the  first  indications  of  civilization, 
in  the  wilderness.  These  are  but  mere  toys,  however,  but 
gewgaws  that  will  be  met  as  matters  of  course,  and  soon 
used  up  and  lost  sight  of.  But  Jim's  book  of  the  statistics 
of  London,  of  Paris,  and  New  York,  will  stand  the  Magna 

x2 


308  PROBABLE  RESULTS  OF  THE  VISITS 

Charta  of  his  nation,  and  around  it  will  assemble  the  wise 
acres  of  the  tribe,  descanting  on  and  seeking  for  a  solution 
of  the  blessings  of  civilization,  as  the  passing  pipe  sends  off 
its  curling  fumes,  to  future  ages,  over  its  astounding  and 
marvellous  estimates  of  civilized  nations,  of  cities,  of  churches, 
of  courts  of  justice,  and  gaols — of  the  tens  of  thousands  of 
civilized  people  who  are  in  it  recorded  (to  their  amazement)  as 
Mind,  as  deaf  and  dumb,  and  insane  ;  of gallows  and  guillotines,  of 
massacres  and  robberies,  the  number  of  grog-shops  and  brew 
eries,  of  coal-pits,  of  tread-mills  and  foundling  hospitals,  of 
poorhouscs  and  paupers,  of  beggars  and  starvation,  of  brothels, 
of  prisons  for  debtors,  of  rapes,  of  bigamy,  of  taxation,  of  game- 
laws,  of  Christianity,  of  drunkenness,  of  national  debt  and 
repudiation. 

The  estimates  of  all  these  subjects  have  gone  to  the  wil 
derness,  with  what  the  eyes  of  the  Indians  saw  of  the  poverty 
and  distress  of  the  civilized  world,  to  be  taught  to  the  un 
taught,  and  hereafter  to  be  arrayed,  if  they  choose,  against 
the  teachings  of  civilization  and  Christianity  in  the  Indian 
communities  :  a  table  of  the  enormous  numbers  in  the  civil 
ized  world  who  by  their  own  fully  or  wickedness  drag 
through  lives  of  pain  and  misery,  leaving  their  Indian 
critics,  in  the  richness  of  their  imaginations,  to  judge  of  the 
immense  proportion  of  the  enlightened  world  who,  in  just 
retribution,  must  perish  for  their  crimes  and  their  follies ; 
and  in  their  ignorance,  and  the  violence  of  their  prejudices, 
to  imagine  what  proportion  of  them  are  actually  indulged 
in  the  comforts  of  this  life,  or  destined  to  enjoy  the  happi 
ness  of  the  world  to  come. 

Teaching,  I  have  always  thought,  should  be  gradual,  and 
but  one  thing  (or  at  most  but  few  things)  taught  at  a  time. 
By  all  who  know  me  and  my  views,  I  am  known  to  be,  as  I 
am,  an  advocate  of  civilization ;  but  of  civilization,  as  it  has 
generally  been  taught  amongst  the  American  Indians,  I 
have  a  poor  opinion ;  and  of  the  plan  I  am  now  treating  of, 
of  sending  parties  to  foreign  countries  to  see  all  that  can  be 
seen  and  learned  in  civilized  life,  I  have  a  still  poorer 


OF  THE  INDIANS  TO  EUIIOPE. 

opinion,  being  fully  convinced  that  they  learn  too  much  for 
useful  teachers  in  their  own  country.  The  strides  that  they 
thus  take  arc  too  great  and  too  sudden  for  the  slow  and 
gradual  steps  that  can  alone  bring  man  from  a  savage  to  a 
civilized  state.  They  require  absolutely  the  reverse  of  what 
they  will  learn  from  such  teachers.  They  should,  writh  all 
their  natural  prejudices  against  civilized  man,  be  held  in 
ignorance  of  the  actual  crime,  dissipation,  and  poverty  that 
belong  to  the  enlightened  world,  until  the  honest  pioneer, 
in  his  simple  life,  with  his  plough  and  his  hoe,  can  wile 
them  into  the  mode  of  raising  the  necessaries  of  life,  which 
are  the  first  steps  from  savage  to  civil,  and  which  they  will 
only  take  when  their  prejudices  against  white  men  are 
broken  down,  which  is  most  effectually  done  by  teaching 
them  the  modes  of  raising  their  food  and  acquiring  property. 

I  therefore  am  constrained  to  give  judgment  here  against 
the  propriety  of  parties  of  Indians  visiting  foreign  countries 
with  a  view  to  enlightening  their  people  when  they  go  back  ; 
and  here  also  to  register  my  opinion,  for  which  I  am  daily 
asked,  as  to  the  effects  which  these  visits  to  Europe  will 
have  upon  the  parties  who  have  been  abroad,  and  what  im 
pressions  they  will  make  amongst  their  people  when  they 
return. 

I  am  sure  they  saw  many  things  which  pleased  them  and 
gained  their  highest  admiration,  and  which  they  might  be 
benefited  by  seeing:  and  also  that  they  saw  many  others 
•  which  it  would  have  been  decidedly  better  they  had  never 
seen.  They  have  witnessed  and  appreciated  the  virtues 
and  blessings,  and  at  the  same  time  the  vices  and  miseries 
and  degradations  of  civilized  life,  the  latter  of  which  will 
doubtless  have  made  the  deepest  impressions  upon  their 
minds,  and  which  (not  unlike  some  more  distinguished  travellers 
than  themselves}  they  will  comment  and  enlarge  upon,  and 
about  in  equal  justice  to  the  nation  they  represent  and  are 
endeavouring  to  instruct. 

Their  tour  of  a  year  or  two  abroad,  amidst  the  mazes  and 
mysteries  of  civilized  life,  will  rest  in  their  minds  like  a 


310  AUTHOR'S  REFLECTIONS. 

romantic  dream,  not  to  be  forgotten,  nor  to  be  dreamed 
over  again ;  their  lives  too  short  to  aspire  to  what  they  have 
seen  to  approve,  and  their  own  humble  sphere  in  their  native 
wilds  so  decidedly  preferable  to  the  parts  of  civilized  life 
which  they  did  not  admire,  that  they  will  probably  convert 
the  little  money  they  have  made,  and  their  medals  and 
trinkets,  into  whisky  and  rum,  and  drown  out,  if  possible, 
the  puzzling  enigma,  which,  with  arguments,  the  poor  fel 
lows  have  found  it  more  difficult  to  solve. 

With  this  chapter  I  take  leave  of  my  Indian  friends ;  and 
as  the  main  subject  of  this  work  ends  with  their  mission  to 
Europe,  the  reader  finds  himself  near  the  end  of  his  task. 

In  taking  leave  of  my  red  friends,  I  will  be  pardoned  for 
repeating  what  I  have  before  said,  that  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic  they  invariably  did  the  best  they  could  do ;  and 
that,  loving  them  still  as  I  have  done,  I  shall  continue  to  do 
for  them  and  their  race,  all  the  justice  that  shall  be  in  the 
power  of  my  future  strength  to  do. 


(     311     ) 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


The  Author  returns  to  his  little  children  in  Paris — His  loss  of  time  and 
money — The  three  Indian  speculations — His  efforts  to  promote  the 
interests  of  the  Indians,  and  the  persons  who  brought  them  to  Europe — 
His  advice  to  other  persons  wishing  to  engage  in  similar  enterprises — 
The  Author  retires  to  his  atelier,  and  paints  the  fifteen  pictures  for  the 
King — The  pleasure  of  quiet  and  retirement  with  his  four  little  children 
around  him — He  offers  his  Indian  Collection  to  the  American  Govern 
ment — And  sends  his  memorial  to  Congress — Bill  reported  in  favour  of 
the  purchase — The  Author  has  an  interview  with  the  King  in  the  Tuileries 
— Delivers  the  fifteen  pictures — Subjects  of  the  pictures  painted — Conver 
sations  with  the  King — Reflections  upon  his  extraordinary  life — The 
Author's  thoughts,  while  at  his  easel,  upon  scenes  of  his  life  gone  by 
— And  those  that  were  about  him,  as  he  strolled,  with  his  little  children, 
through  the  streets  and  society  of  Paris — Distressing  and  alarming 
illness  of  the  Author's  four  little  children — Kindness  of  sympathizing 
friends — Death  of  "  little  George" — His  remains  sent  to  New  York,  and 
laid  by  the  side  of  his  mother — A  father's  tears  and  loneliness — The 
Author  returns  with  his  Collection  to  London. 

THE  commencement  of  this  chapter  finds  me  at  my  easel,  in 
a  comfortable  atelier  in  my  own  apartments  in  Paris,  where 
I  had  retired,  with  my  little  children  about  me,  to  paint  the 
fifteen  pictures  for  the  King,  and  others  for  which  I  had 
some  standing  orders. 

My  collection  was  at  this  time  placed  in  a  magazine  in  the 
vicinity  of  my  dwelling,  and  my  faithful  man  Daniel  still 
continued  his  charge  over  it,  keeping  it  in  repair,  and 
plying  between  it  and  my  painting- room  when  I  required 
models  from  my  collection  to  work  from. 

The  true  measure  of  ordinary  happiness  I  have  long  be 
lieved  to  be  the  amount  of  distress  or  anxiety  we  have 
escaped  from  ;  and  in  this  instance  I  felt,  retired  from  the 


312  PLEASURES  OF  RETIREMENT. 

constant  anxieties  I  had  lived  under  for  the  last  six  or  seven 
years,,  demanding  all  my  time,  and  holding  my  hand  from 
my  easel,  as  if  1  could  be  happy,  even  in  my  grief,  with  my 
four  dear  little  children  around  me,  whom  their  kind  mother 
had  but  a  few  months  before,  in  her  dying  breath,  committed 
to  my  sole  keeping  and  protection. 

My  house,  though  there  was  a  gloom  about  it,  had  a 
melancholy  charm  from  its  associations,,  whilst  its  halls  were 
enlivened  by  the  notes  of  my  little  innocents,  who  were 
just  old  enough  for  my  amusement,  and  too  young  fully 
to  appreciate  the  loss  they  had  sustained,  and  whose  little 
arms  were  now  concentrated  about  my  neck,  as  the  only 
one  to  whom  they  claimed  kindred  and  looked  for  pro 
tection. 

My  dear  little  namesake,  George,  and  my  only  boy,'  then 
three  years  and  a  half  old,  was  my  youngest,  and,  being  the 
only  one  of  my  little  flock  to  perpetuate  my  name,  had 
adopted  my  painting-room  as  his  constant  play-house,  and, 
cronies  as  we  had  become  there,  our  mutual  enjoyment  was 
as  complete  as  my  happiness  was,  in  the  dependence  I  was 
placing  on  him  for  the  society  of  my  future  days.  His  first 
passion,  like  that  of  most  children,  had  been  for  the  drum, 
with  which,  slung  upon  his  back,  with  drumsticks  in  hand,  he 
made  my  atelier  and  apartments  ring,  and  never  was  happier 
or  more  proud  than  when  we  addressed  him  as  "Tam 
bour  Major,"  by  which  name  he  familiarly  went,  and  to 
which  he  as  promptly  answered. 

Besides  the  company  of  this  dear  little  fellow,  I  had  the 
sweet  society  of  my  three  little  girls,  of  ten,  eight,  and  six 
years  old,  and  with  all,  and  the  pleasures  at  my  easel,  I 
counted  myself  in  the  enjoyments  of  life  that  I  would  have 
been  unwilling  for  any  consideration  to  part  with.  I  thus 
painted  on,  dividing  my  time  between  my  easel,  my  little 
children,  and  the  few  friends  I  had  in  Paris,  resolving  and 
re-resolving  to  devote  the  remainder  of  my  life  to  my  art, 
being  in  possession  of  the  fullest  studies  from  nature  to 
enable  me  to  illustrate  the  early  history  of  my  country  in  its 


MEMORIAL  TO  CONGRESS.  313 

various  dealings  with  the  Indian  tribes  of  America:  and  in 

O 

these  labours  I  also  with  pleasure  resolved  to  continue  my 
efforts  to  do  justice  to  their  character  and  their  memory. 

The  American  Congress  was  at  that  time  in  session,  with 
a  surplus  revenue  in  the  treasury  of  more  than  12,000,000 
of  dollars  ;  and,  deeming  it  an  auspicious  time,  1  proposed 
the  sale  of  my  collection  by  my  Memorial,  to  that  body, 
believing  there  was  sympathy  enough  for  the  poor  Indians 
in  my  country,  and  disposition  to  preserve  all  the  records 
of  this  dying  race,  to  induce  the  Congress  to  purchase  the 
collection  as  connected  with  the  history  of  the  country. 

1  had  been  stimulated,  the  whole  time  whilst  making  the 
collection,  with  the  hope  that  it  would  be  perpetuated  on 
the  soil  where  these  ill-fated  people  have  lived  and  perished  ; 
and  was  constantly  encouraged  in  my  labours  with  the  belief 
that  such  would  be  the  case. 

On  my  Memorial,  a  Bill  was  reported  by  the  Joint  Com 
mittee  on  the  Library,  complimenting  me  in  the  strongest 
terms,  and  recommending  its  purchase;  but,  owing  to  the 
sudden  commencement  of  the  Mexican  war  at  that  time,  no 
action  was  had  upon  it,  and  it  now  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  the  Government  will  take  it  up  again,  or  whether 
the  collection  Avill  be  left,  because  more  highly  appreciated, 
in  a  foreign  land.  My  unavoidable  belief  still  is,  that  some 
measure  will  be  adopted  for  its  preservation  in  my  native 
country,  a  monument  to  those  people  who  have  bequeathed 
to  the  United  States  all  her  dominions,  and  who  are  rapidly 
wasting  away  ;  though  I  have  fears  that  the  call  for  it  may 
be  too  late,  cither  to  gratify  my  ambition  to  see  it  perpetu 
ated  amongst  the  records  of  my  country,  or  to  enable  me  to 
feel  the  reward  for  my  hard  labour. 

The  Bill  reported  in  the  Congress  I  have  taken  the 
liberty  to  insert  here,  for  the  very  high  compliment  it  con 
veys,  as  well  as  for  the  benefit  it  may  in  some  way  afford  me 
by  the  value  therein  set  upon  my  works. 


314  REPORT  IN  FAVOUR  OF  THE  PURCHASE 


BILL  reported  in  the  AMERICAN  CONGRESS,  1846,  for  the  Purchase 
of  CATLIN'S  INDIAN  GALLERY,  July  24th,  1846.  Read  and 
laid  upon  the  table.  Mr.  W.  W.  CAMPBELL,  from  the  Joint 
Committee  on  the  Library,  made  the  following  REPORT  : — 

Tlie  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library,  to  whom  was  referred  the  Memorial  of  Mr. 
Catlin  for  the  purchase  of  his  Gallery  of  Indian  Collections  and  Paintings ; 
and  also  the  Memorial  of  American  artists  abroad,  and  of  American  citizens 
resident  in  London,  respectfully  report — 

That  of  Mr.  Catlin,  who  desires  to  place,  on  certain  conditions,  his 
extensive  collection  of  Indian  portraits,  costumes,  and  other  objects  of  in 
terest  connected  with  Indian  life,  in  the  possession  of  the  Government,  it 
is  hardly  necessary  to  speak,  since  his  reputation  is  established  throughout 
this  country  and  Europe.  A  native  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  his  early 
studies  were  directed  to  the  law,  which,  under  an  impulse  of  enthusiasm 
that  often  marks  original  genius,  he  soon  abandoned  for  the  pencil,  stimu 
lated  by  desire  to  give  to  his  country  exact  and  spirited  representations  of 
the  persons,  costumes,  ceremonies,  and  homes  of  the  aboriginal  inhabitants 
of  this  continent,  now  retreating  and  gradually  vanishing  away  before  the 
power  of  civilization.  Nor  did  he  devote  himself  to  his  enterprises  merely 
to  gratify  curiosity  and  preserve  memorials  of  a  bold,  independent,  and  re 
markable  race  of  men,  but  to  direct  attention  to  certain  lofty  traits  of  their 
character,  and  excite,  generally,  friendly  sentiments  and  efforts  for  their 
benefit.  In  making  this  collection,  he  expended  eight  entire  years  of  his  life 
and  20,000  dollar?,  and  visited,  often  at  great  hazard  of  his  personal  safety, 
more  than  forty  different  (and  most  of  them  remote)  tribes.  Unaided  by 
public  or  private  patronage,  he  pursued  and  effected  his  object,  sustained, 
as  he  observes,  by  the  ambition  of  procuring  a  full  and  complete  pictorial 
history  of  a  numerous  and  interesting  race  of  human  beings  rapidly  sinking 
into  oblivion,  and  encouraged  by  the  belief  that  the  collection  would  finally 
be  appropriated  and  protected  by  the  Government  of  his  own  country,  as  a 
monument  to  a  race  once  sole  proprietors  of  this  country,  but  who  will 
soon  have  yielded  it  up,  and  with  it  probably  their  existence  also,  to  civil 
ized  man. 

On  Mr.  Catlin's  return  from  the  western  prairies,  the  attention  of  Con 
gress  was,  in  1837  and  1838,  turned  towards  his  collection,  and  a  resolu 
tion  for  its  purchase  was  moved  in  the  House,  and  referred  to  the  Commit 
tee  on  Indian  Affairs,  who,  it  is  understood,  expressed  in  their  report  an 
unanimous  opinion  in  favour  of  the  purchase,  though  the  near  approach  of 
the  close  of  the  session  prevented  its  being  submitted  for  consideration. 

In  transferring  his  collection  to  Europe,  Mr.  Catlin  had  no  intention  of 
alienating  it,  or  changing  its  nationality  and  destination  ;  but,  by  its  exhi 
bition,  sought  to  secure  support  for  his  family,  and  obtain  means  of  bring- 


OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  COLLECTION.  315 

ing- out  his  great  and  expensive  work  on  the  Indians — a  work  which  has 
thrown  much  light  upon  their  character  and  customs,  and  been  received 
with  distinguished  favour  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  judgment  of  our  citizens,  and  that  of  eminent  foreigners,  is  concur 
rent  in  regard  to  the  value  of  this  collection  for  the  illustration  of  our  his 
tory,  and  as  a  work  of  art.  By  desire  of  the  King  of  France,  it  now  occupies 
a  gallery  in  the  Louvre,  and  has  been  highly  eulogized  by  the  most  distin 
guished  artists  and  men  of  science  in  Paris.  A  large  gold  medal  has  been 
presented  to  Mr.  Catlin  by  the  King  of  the  Belgians,  with  a  letter  express 
ing  a  high  opinion  of  his  productions. 

The  American  artists  now  in  Paris,  in  a  memorial  addressed  to  Congress, 
urging  the  importance  of  securing  this  collection  to  our  country,  say, 
"  Having  made  ourselves  acquainted  with  the  extent  and  interest  of  this 
unique  collection,  and  of  its  peculiar  interest  to  our  country  ;  and  also  aware 
of  the  encouraging  offers  now  made  to  its  proprietor  for  its  permanent 
establishment  in  England,  as  well  as  the  desire  generally  manifested  here 
to  have  it  added  to  the  historical  gallery  of  Versailles,  we  have  ventured 
to  unite  in  the  joint  expression  of  our  anxiety  that  the  members  of  the  pre 
sent  Congress  may  pass  some  resolution  that  may  be  the  means  of  restoring 
so  valuable  a  collection  to  our  country,  and  fixing  it  among  its  records.  In 
teresting  to  our  countrymen  generally,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  Ame 
rican  artists.  The  Italian  who  wishes  to  portray  the  history  of  Rome 
finds  remnants  of  her  sons  in  the  Vatican  ;  the  French  artist  can  study 
the  ancient  Gauls  in  the  museums  of  the  Louvre ;  and  the  Tower  of  London 
is  rich  in  the  armour  and  weapons  of  the  Saxon  race. 

"  Your  memorialists,  therefore,  most  respectfully  trust  that  Mr.  Catlin's 
collection  may  be  purchased  and  cherished  by  the  Federal  Government,  as  a 
nucleus  for  a  national  museum,  where  American  artists  may  freely  study 
that  bold  race  who  once  held  possession  of  our  country,  and  who  are  so  fast 
disappearing  before  the  tide  of  civilization.  Without  such  a  collection,  few 
of  the  glorious  pages  of  our  early  history  can  be  illustrated,  while  the  use 
made  of  it  here  by  French  artists,  in  recording  upon  canvas  the  American 
discoveries  of  their  countrymen  in  the  last  century,  shows  its  importance." 

Your  Committee  feel  the  justice  of  these  sentiments  of  American  artists, 
and  also  the  importance,  as  suggested  in  their  memorial,  of  securing,  by 
the  purchase  of  his  collection,  the  future  efforts  of  Mr.  Catlin  for  its  enlarge 
ment.  Let  the  Government  appropriate  his  collection,  and  the  chief  am 
bition  of  its  author's  life  will  be  realized,  and  he  will  be  enabled,  in  a  few 
years,  to  double  it  in  value  and  extent. 

The  bill  which  has  recently  passed  the  House  for  the  establishment  of 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  provides  that  there  shall  belong  to  it  a  "gal 
lery  of  art ;  "  and  of  course  it  must  be  intended  that  such  gallery  shall  be 
occupied  by  works  of  art.  That  such  works  should  be  principally  Ame 
rican,  is  the  obvious  dictate  of  patriotism.  No  productions,  your  Committee 
believe,  at  present  exist,  more  appropriate  to  this  gallery  than  those  of  Mr. 
Catlin,  or  of  equal  importance.  Should  Congress  fail  to  act  on  this  subject, 


316  PAINTINGS  EXECUTED  FOR  LOUIS  PHILIPPE. 

or  decide  unfavourably  to  Mr.  Catlin's  proposal,  he  may,  notwithstanding 
his  reluctance,  be  compelled  to  accept  the  positive  and  advantageous  offers 
now  made  to  him  in  England. 

The  love  of  art,  and  respect  for  those  who  have  cultivated  it  with  success, 
especially  for  those  who  have  illustrated,  by  their  productions,  the  history 
of  their  country,  have  ever  been  cherished  by  the  most  civilized  nations. 
It  has  been  justly  observed,  that  "  among  the  Greeks  the  arts  were  not  so 
much  objects  to  promote  gratification  as  of  public  interest;  they  were  em 
ployed  as  the  most  powerful  stimulants  of  piety  and  patriotism,  commissioned 
to  confer  distinction  upon  those  who  were  conspicuous  for  valour,  for  wis 
dom,  and  for  virtue.  A  statue  or  picture  gave  celebrity  to  a  city  or  a  state, 
and  a  great  artist  was  considered  a  national  ornament — a  public  benefactor, 
whom  all  were  bound  to  honour  and  reward." 

Your  Committee  believe  the  price  of  his  collection,  as  named  by  Mr.  Cat- 
lin,  is  moderate,  and  that  a  failure  to  obtain  it  would  occasion  deep  regret 
to  all  the  friends  of  art,  and  to  all  Americans  who  reasonably  and  justly 
desire  to  preserve  memorials  of  the  Indian  race,  or  the  means  by  which  our 
future  artists  and  historians  may  illustrate  the  great  and  most  interesting 
events  in  the  early  periods  and  progress  of  our  country. 

The  Committee,  therefore,  recommend  that  the  bill  for  the  establishment 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institute  be  so  amended  as  that  provision  shall  be  made 
therein  for  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Catlin's  gallery  at  the  price  mentioned  by 
him — namely,  sixty-five  thousand  dollars — payable  in  annual  instalments  of 
ten  thousand  dollars. 

New  York  Journal  of  Commerce,  Nov.  12£/L 

When  I  had  completed  the  pictures  ordered  by  the  King, 
his  Majesty  graciously  granted  me  an  audience  in  the  Palace 
of  the  Tuileries  to  deliver  them,  on  which  occasion  he  met 
me  with  great  cheerfulness,  and,  having  received  from  me  a 
verbal  description  of  each  picture,  he  complimented  me  on 
the  spirit  of  their  execution,  and  expressed  the  highest  satis 
faction  with  them,  and  desired  me  to  attach  to  the  back  of 
each  a  full  written  description.  7'he  dimensions  of  these 
paintings  were  SO  by  36  inches,  and  the  subjects  as  follow  : — 

No.     I.  An  Indian  ball- play. 

2.  A  Sioux  Council  of  War. 

3.  Buffalo-hunt  on  snow-shoes. 

4.  Mali-to-toli-pa  (the  Four  Bears),  a  Mandan  chief,  full  length. 

5.  A  Buffalo-hunt,  Sioux. 

6.  Eagle-dance,  and  view  of  loway  village. 

7.  Mali-to-lie-lia  (the  Old  Bear),  a  medicine-man  of  the  Mandans. 

8.  Wan-ee-ton,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  chiefs  of  the  Sioux. 

9.  Ee-alt-sa-pa  (the  Black  Rock),  a  Sioux  chief,  lull  length. 


AUTHOR'S  THOUGHTS  AT  HIS  EASEL.  317 

10.  Mu-liu~shee-kaw  (the  White  Cloud),  loway  chief. 

11.  Shon-ta-ye-ee-ga  (the  Little  Wolf),  an  loway  warrior. 

12.  Wa-tali-we-luck-a-nah  (the  Commanding  General),   an  loway 

boy. 

13.  Maun-gua-daus,  an  Ojibbeway  chief. 

14.  Say-say-gon  (the  Hail  Storm),  an  Ojibbeway  warrior. 

15.  Ah-wun-ne-wa-be  (the  Thunder-bird),  Ojibbeway ,'warrior. 

His  Majesty  had  on  several  occasions,  in  former  interviews, 
spoken  of  the  great  interest  of  the  scenes  of  the  early  his 
tory  of  the  French  colonies  of  America,  and  French  explor 
ations  and  discoveries  in  those  regions,,  and  the  subject  was 
now  resumed  again,  as  one  of  peculiar  interest,  affording 
some  of  the  finest  scenes  for  the  pencil  of  the  artist, 
which  he  thought  I  was  peculiarly  qualified  to  illustrate. 
Additional  anecdotes  of  his  rambling  life  in  America  were 
very  humorously  related;  and  after  the  interview  I  re 
turned  to  my  painting-room,  and  continued  happily  engaged 
at  my  other  pictures,  with  my  familiar  sweet  smiles  and 
caresses  about  me. 

As  a  painter  often  works  at  his  easel  with  a  double 
thought,  one  upon  the  subject  he  is  creating  upon  the  can 
vas,  and  the  other  upon  the  world  that  is  about  him,  I 
kept  constantly  at  work,  and  pleasantly  divided  my  extra 
thoughts  upon  the  amusing  little  tricks  that  were  being 
played  around  me,  and  the  contemplation  of  scenes  and 
events  of  my  life  gone  by.  I  ran  over  its  table  of  contents 
in  this  way  :  "  My  native  valley  of  Wyoming — the  days  and 
recollections  of  my  earliest  boyhood  in  it — my  ten  years  in 
the  valley  of  the  Oc-qua-go,  where  I  held  alternately  the 
plough,  my  rifle,  and  fishing-tackle — my  five  years  at  the 
classics — my  siege  with  Blackstone  and  Coke  upon  Little 
ton — my  three  years'  practice  of  the  law  in  the  Courts  of 
Pennsylvania — the  five  years'  practice  of  my  art  of  portrait- 
painting  in  Philadelphia— my  eight  years  spent  amongst 
the  Indian  tribes  of  the  prairies  and  Rocky  Mountains  — 
and,  since  that,  my  eight  years  spent  in  the  light  of  the  re 
fined  and  civilized  world,  where  I  have  been  admitted  to 
Palaces,  and  into  the  society  of  Kings,  Queens,  and  Princes 


318  LOUIS  PHILIPPE'S  TRAVELS  IN  AMEPJCA. 

— and  now  at  my  easel,  in  my  studio,  with  my  clear  little 
babes  around  me,  thanking  Him  who  has  blessed  me  with 
them,  and  courage  and  health,  through  all  the  vicissitudes 
of  my  chequered  life,  and  now  with  strength  to  stand  by 
and  support  and  protect  them." 

I  thought  also  of  the  King,  the  wonderful  man,  with  whose 
benignant  and  cheerful  face  I  had  been  so  often  conversing ; 
whose  extraordinary  life  had  been  so  much  more  chequered 
than  my  own  ;  many  of  whose  early  days  had  been  spent  on 
the  broad  rivers  and  amongst  the  dense  and  gloomy  forests 
of  my  own  country ;  who,  driven  by  political  commotions 
from  his  native  land,  sought  an  asylum  in  the  United  States 
of  America,  and  there,  in  the  youthful  energy  of  his 
native  character,  52  years  ago,  crossed  and  re-crossed 
the  Alleghany  Mountains,  descended  the  Ohio  river  600 
miles  in  his  simple  and  rickety  pirogue,  and  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Ohio  to  New  Orleans,  1000  miles  on  the  muddy  waves 
of  the  Mississippi,  amidst  its  dangerous  snags  and  sand-bars, 
when  the  banks  of  those  two  mighty  rivers  were  inhabited 
only  by  savages,  whose  humble  wigwams  he  entered,  and 
shared  their  hospitality ;  who  afterwards  visited  the  shores 
of  Lake  Erie,  and  also  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  before  the  axe 
of  sacrilegious  man  had  shorn  it  of  its  wild  and  native 
beauties  ;  who  visited  the  little  commencement  of  the  town 
of  Buffalo  and  the  village  of  the  Seneca  Indians ;  who 
paddled  his  canoe  90  miles  through  the  Seneca  Lake  to 
Ithaca,  and  from  thence  travelled  by  an  Indian's  path,  with 
his  knapsack  on  his  back,  to  the  Susquehana  river,  which 
he  descended  in  an  Indian  canoe  to  Wyoming,  my  native 
valley ;  and  then  on  foot,  with  his  knapsack  again  upon  his 
back,  crossed  the  Wilkesbarre  and  Pokono  Mountains  to 
Easton  and  Philadelphia ;  and  who  consequently  thus  knew, 
52  years  ago,  more  of  the  great  western  regions  of  America, 
and  of  the  modes  of  its  people,  than  one  of  a  thousand  Ame 
ricans  do  at  the  present  day. 

I  contemplated  the  character  of  this  extraordinary  man, 
reared  in  the  luxuries  of  Palaces,  thrown  thus  into  the  midst 


CONTEMPLATIONS  OF  THE  AUTHOR.  319 

of  the  vast  and  dreary  forests  of  the  Mississippi,  launching  his 
fragile  boat  and  staking  his  life  upon  its  dangerous  waves,  and 
laying  his  wearied  limbs  upon  its  damp  and  foggy  banks  at 
night,  amidst  the  howling  wolves  and  rattlesnakes  and  mos 
quitoes  ;  and  after  that,  and  all  these  adventures,  called, 
in  the  commotions  of  his  country,  to  mount  the  throne  and 
wield  the  sceptre  over  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  en 
lightened  nations  of  the  earth.  I  beheld  this  great  man 
in  these  strange  vicissitudes  of  life,  and  France,  whose 
helm  he  took  in  the  midst  of  a  tempest,  now  raised  to  the 
zenith  of  her  national  wealth  and  glory,  after  17  years  of 
uninterrupted  peace  and  prosperity.  I  contemplated  the 
present  wealth  and  health  of  that  nation  and  her  institu 
tions,  her  grand  internal  improvements,  and  cultivation  of 
science  and  the  arts ;  and  I  reflected  also,  with  equal 
pleasure  and  surprise,  on  what  I  had  seen  with  my  own 
eyes,  the  greatness  of  soul  of  that  monarch  as  he  was  taking 
the  poor  Indians  of  the  forest  by  the  hand  in  his  Palace, 
and  expressing  to  them  the  gratitude  he  never  yet  had  lost 
sight  of,  that  he  bore  them  for  the  kindness  with  which 
their  tribes  everywhere  treated  him  when  he  entered  their 
wigwams,  hungry,  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  and  the 
prcat  lakes  in  America.  He  had  the  frankness  and  truth- 

O 

fulness  to  tell  them  that  "he  loved  them,"  for  the  reasons 
he  had  given,  and  the  kindness  of  heart  to  convince  them 
of  his  sincerity  in  the  way  that  carries  the  most  satisfactory 
conviction  to  the  mind  of  an  Indian  as  well  as  it  often  docs 
to  that  of  a  white  man. 

These  contemplations  were  rapid  and  often  repeated,  and 
there  were  many  more ;  and  they  never  passed  through  my 
mind  without  compelling  me  to  admire  and  revere  the  man 
whose  energy  of  character  and  skill  have  enabled  him,  with 
like  success,  to  steer  his  pirogue  amidst  the  snags  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  at  the  helm  of  his  nation,  to  guide  her  out 
of  the  tempest  of  a  revolution,  and  onward,  through  a  reign 
of  peace  and  industry,  to  wealth  and  power,  to  which  she 
never  before  has  attained. 


320  AUTHOR'S  RAMBLES  IN  PARIS. 

In  the  midst  of  such  reflections  I  often  strolled  alone  in 
a  contemplative  mood  through  the  wilderness  throngs  of  the 
Boulevards — the  great  central  avenue  and  crossing-place— 
the  aorta  of  all  the  circulating  world — to  gaze  upon  the  end 
less  throng  of  human  beings  sweeping  by  me,  bent  upon 
their  peculiar  avocations  of  business  or  of  pleasure — of 
virtue  or  of  vice;  contrasting  the  glittering  views  about 
me  with  the  quiet  and  humble  scenes  I  had  witnessed  in 
various  parts  of  my  roaming  life. 

In  the  midst  of  this  sweeping  throng,  knowing  none  and 
unknown,  I  found  I  could  almost  imagine  myself  in  the 
desert  wilderness,  with  as  little  to  disturb  the  current  of 
contemplative  thoughts  as  if  I  were  floating  down  the  gliding 
current  of  the  Missouri  in  my  bark  canoe,  in  silent  contem 
plation  of  the  rocks  and  forests  on  its  banks. 

In  a  different  mood,  also,  I  as  often  left  my  easel  and 
mingled  with  the  throng,  with  my  little  chattering  children 
by  my  side,  forgetting  to  think,  and  with  eyes  like  theirs, 
scanned  the  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  pretty 
things  displayed  in  the  shops,  and  whiled  away  in  perfect 
bliss,  as  others  do,  an  hour  upon  the  pavements  of  the 
Boulevards. 

The  reader  has  learned,  from  various  books,  the  features 
of  this  splendid  scene,  with  all  its  life  and  din  and  glittering 
toys,  and  of  Paris,  with  its  endless  mysteries,  and  beauties, 
and  luxuries,  and  vices,  which  it  is  not  the  province  of  this 
work  to  describe;  but  from  all  that  he  has  read  he  may  not 
yet  know  how  completely  he  may  be  lost  sight  of  in  the 
crowds  of  the  Boulevards,  and  what  positive  retirement  he 
may  find  and  enjoy,  unknowing  and  unknown,  if  he.  wishes 
to  do  so,  in  his  apartments  in  the  centre  of  Paris,  where  his 
neighbours  are  certainly  the  nearest  and  most  numerous  in 
the  world. 

In  London  and  New  York    one  often  thinks   it  strange 

o 

that  he  knows  not  his  neighbours  by  the  side  of  him  ;  but 
in  Paris,  those  on  the  sides  are  seldom  taken  into  considera 
tion  as  such,  and  so  little  do  people  know  of,  or  care  for,  each 


SIGHTS  OF  PARIS.  321 

other's  business,  that  few  have  any  acquaintance  with  their 
neighbours  ABOVE  and  BELOW  them. 

The  circumscribed  limits  of  the  city,  and  the  density  of 
its  population,  enable  the  Parisians  to  make  a  glittering 
display  in  the  streets,  in  the  brilliancy  and  taste  of  which 
they  no  doubt  outdo  any  other  people  in  the  world.  The 
close  vicinity  of  its  inhabitants,  and  the  facility  with  which 
they  get  into  the  streets,,  and  the  tens  of  thousands  of  induce 
ments  that  tempt  them  there,  tend  to  the  concentration  of 
fashion  and  gaiety  in  the  principal  avenues  and  arcades, 
which,  in  the  pleasant  evenings  of  spring  and  summer,, 
seem  converted  into  splendid  and  brilliant  salons,  with  the 
appearance  of  continuous  and  elegant  soirees.  To  these 
scenes  all  Parisians  and  all  foreigners  are  alike  admitted, 
to  see  and  enjoy  the  myriads  of  sights  to  be  seen  in  the 
shop-windows,  as  well  as  to  most  of  the  splendid  collections 
of  works  of  literature  and  the  arts,  which,  being  under  the 
Government  control,  are  free  to  the  inspection  of  all  who 
wish  to  see  them.  Amidst  most  of  these  I  have  been,  like 
thousands  of  others,  a  visitor  and  admirer  for  two  years, 
seeking  for  information  and  amusement — for  study  and  con 
templation — alone  ;  or  enjoying  them  in  company  with  my 
little  children,  or  travelling  friends,  for  whose  aid  and  amuse 
ment  I  have  as  often  given  my  time. 

The  reader  will  here  see  that  I  have  before  me  the  ma 
terials  for  another  book,  but  as  the  object  of  this  work  is 
attained,  and  its  limits  approached,  with  my  known  aversion 
to  travel  over  frequented  ground,  I  must  refer  him  to 
other  pens  than  mine  for  what  I  might  have  written  had  I 
the  room  for  it,  and  had  it  not  been  written  twenty  times 
before. 

The  little  bit  of  my  life  thus  spent  in  the  capital  of 
France,  though  filled  with  anxieties  and  grief,  has  had  its 
pleasant  parts,  having  seen  much  to  instruct  and  amuse 
me,  and  having  also  met  with,  as  in  London,  many  warm 
friends,  to  whom  I  shall  feel  attached  as  long  as  I  live.  In 
the  English  society  in  Paris  I  met  a  number  of  my  London. 

VOL.  II.  Y 


322  PARISIAN  SOCIETY. 

friends,  where   the  acquaintance  was  renewed,  with   great 
kindness  on  their  parts,  and  with  much  pleasure  to  myself. 

I  met  also  many  American  families  residing  in  Paris;  and, 
added  to  their  numbers,  the  constant  throng  of  Americans 
who  are  passing  to  and  from  the  classic  ground  of  the  East, 
or  making  their  way  across  the  Atlantic  to  the  French 
metropolis,  and  swelling  their  occasional  overflowing  and 
cheerful  soirees.  At  these  I  saw  many  of  the  elite  and 
fashionable  of  the  French,  and  noticed  also,  and  much  to  my 
regret,  as  well  as  surprise,  that,  in  the  various  intercourse  I 
had  in  different  classes,  the  Americans  generally  mixed  less 
with  the  English  than  the  French  society. 

This  is  probably  attributable  in  a  great  degree  to  the 
passion  which  English  and  Americans  have,  in  their  flying 
visits  to  the  city  of  all  novelties,  to  soe  and  study  something 
new,  instead  of  spending  their  valuable  time  with  people  of 
their  own  family  and  language,  whom  and  whose  modes 
they  can  see  at  home.  This  I  deern  a  pity  ;  and  though 
among  the  passing  travellers  the  cause  is  easily  applied,,  and 
the  excuse  as  easily  accepted,  yet  among  the  resident  English 
and  Americans,  of  whom  there  are  a  great  many  and  fashion 
able  families,  there  seems  a  mutual  unsocial  and  studied 
reserve,  which  stands  in  the  way  of  much  enjoyment,  that  I 
believe  lies  at  the  doors  of  kindred  people  in  a  foreign  land. 

My  time,  however,  was  so  much  engrossed  with  anxieties 
and  grief  and  my  application  to  my  art,  that  I  shared  but 
moderately  in  the  pleasures  of  any  society  ;  and  the  few 
observations  I  have  been  able  to  make  1  have  consequently 
drawn  from  less  intercourse  than  has  been  had  by  many 
others,  who  have  more  fully  described  than  I  could  do  had 
this  book  been  written  for  the  purpose. 

My  interviews  with  society  in  this  part  of  the  world,  as 
far  as  they  have  been  held,  have  been  general,  and  my 
observations,  I  believe,  have  been  unbiassed.  And  as  I 
mingled  with  society  to  see  and  enjoy,  but  not  to  describe, 
my  remarks  in  this  place,  on  the  society  and  manners  of 
Parisians  and  people  in  Paris,  must  end  here,  and  neces- 


ILLNESS  OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  CHILDREX.  323 

sarily  be  thus  brief,  to  come  within  the  bounds  of  my  in 
tentions  in  commencing  this  work. 

The  society  which  fascinated  me  most  and  called  for  all 
my  idle  hours  was  that  of  my  four  dear  little  children, 
whose  arms,  having  been  for  ever  torn  from  the  embrace  of 
an  affectionate  mother,  were  ready  to  cling  to  my  neck 
whenever  I  quitted  the  toils  of  my  painting-room.  There 
was  a  charm  in  that  little  circle  of  society  .which  all  the 
fascinations  of  the  fashionable  world  could  never  afford  me, 
and  I  preferred  the  simple  happiness  that  was  thus  sweetly 
spread  around  me  to  the  amusements  and  arts  of  matured 
and  fashionable  life. 

The  days  and  nights  and  weeks  and  months  of  my  life 
were  passing  on  whilst  my  house  rang  with  the  constant 
notes  of  my  little  girls  and  my  dear  little  "  Tambour 
Major/'  producing  a  glow  of  happiness  in  my  life,  as  its 
hours  were  thus  carolled  away,  which  I  never  before  had 
attained  to. 

My  happiness  was  here  too  complete  to  last  long, 
and,  as  the  sequel  will  show,  like  most  precious  gifts, 
was  too  confidently  counted  on  to  continue.  A  sudden 
change  came  over  this  pleasing  dream  of  Lfe ;  the  cheering 
notes  of  my  little  companions  were  suddenly  changed 
into  groans,  and  my  occupations  at  my  easel  were  at  an 
end.  The  chirping  and  chattering  in  the  giddy  maze 
of  their  little  dances  were  finished,  and,  having  taken  to 
their  beds,  my  occupation  was  changed  to  their  bedsides, 
where  they  were  all  together  writhing  in  the  agonies  of 
disease,  and  that  of  so  serious  a  nature  as  to  require  all 
my  attention  by  night  and  by  day,  and  at  length  anxieties 
of  the  most  painful  kind,  and  alarm — of  grief,  and  a  broken 
heart ! 

To  those  of  my  readers  who  have  ever  set  their  whole 
heart  upon  and  identified  their  existence  with  that  of  a  dar 
ling  little  boy,  and  wept  for  him,  it  is  unnecessary — and  to 
those  who  have  never  been  blessed  with  such  a  gift  it  would 
be  useless — for  me  to  name  the  pangs  that  broke  my  heart 

y  2 


324  DEATH  OF  THE  AUTHOR'S  SON. 

for  the  fate  of  my  little  "  Tambour  Major/'  who,  in  that 
unlucky  hour,  thoughtlessly  relinquishing;  all  his  little  toys, 
laid  down  with  his  three  little  sisters,  to  run  the  chances 
with  them,  and  then  to  be  singled  out  as  he  was  by  the 
hand  of  death. 

In  kindness  the  reader  will  pardon  these  few  words  that  flow 
in  tears  from  the  broken  and  burning  heart  of  a  fond  father  ; 
they  take  but  aline  or  two,  and  are  the  only  monument  that 
will  be  raised  to  the  memory  of  my  dear  little  George,  who 
lived,  in  the  sweetness  of  his  innocence,  to  gladden  and  then  to 
break  the  heart  of  his  doating  parent,  the  only  one  while  he 
was  living,  to  appreciate  his  loveliness,  and  now  the  only  one 
to  mourn  for  him.  The  remains  of  this  dear  little  fellow  were 
sent  to  New  York,  as  a  lovely  flower  to  be  planted  by  the 
grave  of  his  mother,  and  thus  were  my  pleasures  and  peace 
in  Paris  ended.  Two  idols  of  my  heart  had  thus  vanished 
from  me  there,  leaving  my  breast  with  a  healing  and  a  fresh 
wound,  to  be  opened  and  bleeding  together.  My  atelier  had 
lost  all  its  charms ;  the  escalier  also  was  dreary,  for  its 
wonted  echoing  and  enlivening  notes  had  ceased ;  and  the 
beautiful  pavement  of  the  Place  Madeleine,  which  was 
under  my  windows,  and  the  daily  resort,  with  his  hoop  and 
his  drum,  of  my  little  "  Tambour  Major." 

The  Boulevards  also,  and  the  Champs  Elysees,  and  the 
garden  of  the  Tuileries,  the  scenes  of  our  daily  enjoyment, 
were  overcast  with  a  gloom,  and  I  left  them  all.        *         * 
###**# 

At  the  time  of  writing  this  my  heart  flies  back  and  daily 
hovers  about  the  scenes  of  so  many  endearing  associations, 
while  my  hand  is  at  work  seeking  amusement  and  forgetful- 
ness  at  my  easel. 

I  have  before  said  that  the  practice  of  my  art  is  to  be  the 
principal  ambition  of  the  rest  of  my  life ;  and  as  the  beginning 
of  this  chapter  found  me  in  my  atelier  in  Paris,  the  end  of 
it  leaves  me  in  my  studio  at  No.  6,  Waterloo  Place,  in  London, 
with  my  collection,  my  thousands  of  studies,  and  my  little 
children  about  me  where  I  shall  be  hereafter  steadily  seek- 


AUTHOR'S  RETURN  TO  LONDON.          325 

ing  the  rational  pleasures  and  benefits  I  can  draw  from 
them  ;  and  where  my  friends  and  the  world  who  value  me 
or  my  works  may  find  me  without  ceremony,  and  will  be 
greeted,  amongst  the  numerous  and  curious  works  in  my 
collection,  enumerated  in  the  catalogue  which  I  have  given, 
for  the  amusement  and  benefit  of  the  reader,  at  the  end  of 
my  first  volume. 


(     327     ) 


APPENDIX.    (A.) 


The  two  following  Letters,  written  from  the  loway  Mission  on  the 
Upper  Missouri,  with  several  others  more  recently  received  Inj 
Mrs.  A.  Richardson,  of  Newcastle-on-  Tyne,  bear  conclusive 
proof  of  the  sincerity  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  of  the  benefit 
(hat  promises  to  flow  from  their  well-directed  and  charitable 
exertions. 

IOWAY  INDIANS. 
EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  FROM  S.  M.  IRVIX. 

lowaij  and  Sac  Mission,  May  24£//,  1847. 

Having  a  leisure  morning,  I  most  cheerfully  give  a  few  minutes  to  my 
dear  friend  in  P^ngland.  I  have  just  been  thinking,  before  I  took  my  pen, 
how  very  mysterious  are  the  workings  of  God's  providence !  Near  four 
years  ago,  a  party  of  our  loway  Indians  started  out  on  what  appeared  to  us 
to  be  a  wrong  and  uncalled-for  expedition.  We  dreaded  the  result,  and, 
so  far  as  our  opinion  was  consulted,  it  was  given  against  the  design,  advising 
rather  that  they  should  stay  at  home,  go  to  labour  and  economy,  and  not  go 
to  be  shown  as  wild  animals.  In  these  notions  we  thought  we  were  sus 
tained  by  reason  and  Scripture,  and  were  at  least  sincere  in  our  views.  We, 
however,  made  but  little  resistance,  and  when  it  was  determined  that  they 
should  go  we  submitted,  did  what  we  could  for  their  comfort  and  success, 
gave  them  the  parting  hand,  and  commended  them  to  the  care  of  a  merci 
ful  Providence.  They  started,  spent  the  winter  in  St.  Louis  and  New 
Orleans,  associated  with  bad  company,  were  exceedingly  intemperate,  and 
seemed  to  have  grown  much  worse,  which  tended  to  confirm  us  in  the 
belief  of  the  error  and  impropriety  of  such  a  measure,  and  our  hearts 
mourned  over  them.  In  the  spring  they  went  to  the  eastern  part  of  the 
United  States,  and  from  thence  to  England.  From  the  latter  place  we 
heard  of  the  death  of  one  and  another,  and  of  a  probability  of  their  going 
to  France,  and  becoming  enchained  with  the  externals  of  the  Catholic 
religion.  Here  we  thought  our  opinions  were  fully  confirmed.  How  can 
any  good  result  from  this  ?  How  much  harm  must  ensue  to  these  poor 
people,  and  probably  through  them  to  their  nation ! 

But  at  this  point  a  ray  of  light  seemed  to  break  forth,  and  we  could  see 


328  APPENDIX.— A. 

through  the  dark  vista  a  possibility  of  good  resulting  from  it.  Hitherto  we 
could  only  trust  in  the  government  of  God,  knowing  that  He  would  bring 
good  out  of  evil,  but  we  could  not  see  by  what  process  it  could  be  accom 
plished.  But  we  now  began  to  learn  that  the  people  of  England,  particu 
larly  the  Society  of  Friends,  were  taking  a  warm  interest  in  their  welfare, 
stimulating  their  minds  in  favour  of  industry,  economy,  and  Christianity, 
and  especially  guarding  them  against  the  pernicious  effects  of  ardent  spirits. 
There  the  foundation  of  hope,  on  rational  and  tangible  principles,  com 
menced.  Perhaps  the  friends  of  God  and  his  cause  in  England  were  to  be 
the  honoured  instruments  of  making  an  indelible  impression  on  the  minds 
of  these  poor  wanderers,  and,  if  so,  how  well  will  they  be  repaid  for  their 
pilgrimage,  and  how  happily  shall  we  be  disappointed  !  Next  came  an 
affectionate  letter  from  your  own  hand.  This  was  the  second  development 
of  the  unseen  but  operating  hand  of  God  in  carrying  on  his  own  work.  A 
young  man  of  ardent  piety  and  devotion  to  the  cause  of  God  was  next 
recommended  as  a  suitable  person  to  come  and  labour  among  the  Indians  as 
missionary  from  England.  I  may  say  that  the  whole  mystery  was  now 
plain.  We  could  now  say  to  each  other,  God  has  taken  them  over  to 
England  to  send  a  suitable  missionary,  whose  labours  will  be,  doubtless, 
blessed  to  their  conversion,  and  thus  we  could  see  how  easily  God,  our  cove 
nant-keeping  God,  can  foil  the  designs  of  Satan.  How  our  hearts  did  burn 
within  us  when  we  thought  of  the  goodness  of  God  in  these  things  !  The 
original  design  we  could  not  but  look  upon  as  a  work  of  the  enemy,  got  up 
for  the  purpose  of  selfishness  and  speculation,  but  now  we  could  see  the 
scale  turn,  and  the  pleasing  prospect  of  hailing  our  young  brother  as  a 
fellow-helper  in  this  cause  more  than  reconciled  us  to  the  hitherto  myste 
rious  movement.  He  came,  and,  though  it  was  found  best  under  the  cir 
cumstances  to  assign  him  for  a  time  to  a  different  field  of  labour,  still  it  is 
the  same  common  cause,  whether  among  the  Otoes  or  loways. 

Very  important  pecuniary  aid,  both  in  money  and  clothing,  was  also  sub 
sequently  received,  from  which  our  cause  has,  in  no  small  degree,  been 
aided  and  encouraged.  Next  a  helpmate  is  proposed  for  our  young  friend, 
who  is  here  alone,  and  toiling  against  the  trials  of  a  new  and  strange 
society  and  manners,  and  the  prejudices  of  the  Indians.  God,  through 
suitable  instrumentality,  conducts  the  negotiation  to  a  favourable  issue  :  the 
solitary  individual  is  strengthened  to  part  from  her  friends  and  country,  is 
conducted  by  the  hand  of  God  across  the  dangerous  deep,  is  brought  more 
than  2000  miles,  and,  by  a  great  variety  of  hazardous  conveyances,  almost 
to  the  centre  of  a  great  continent,  and  is  now  safely  landed  within  the  walls 
of  this  house.  Truly  may  we  exclaim,  What  hath  God  wrought!  But 
the  wonders  and  cause  for  gratitude  stop  not  here.  Our  kind  friend,  Miss 
G.,  is  not  only  here,  but  already  is  she  engaged,  twice  or  thrice  a-day,  in 
instructing  the  poor  little  daughters  of  the  forest  in  needlework  and  such 
other  instruction  as  may  be  suitable,  and  as  yet  I  see  nothing  in  the  way 
but  that  she  may  very  soon  be  able  to  give  every  moment  of  time  that  she 
can  spare  to  these  little  ones.  How  pleasing  will  this  be !  How  cheer- 


APPENDIX.— A.  329 

fully  and  happily  will  the  hours  pass  away,  and  how  largely  will  she  be 
rewarded  for  all  her  toil !  I  have  skipped,  as  you  will  see,  with  more  than 
eagle  flight,  over  this  narrative,  for  it  furnishes  materials  enough  for  an 
interesting  volume.  I  should  like  much  to  dwell  upon  it,  but  your  mind 
can  carry  out  the  details,  and  see,  as  clearly  as  any  other,  the  lineaments 
of  God's  goodness. 

Miss  G.  will  have  so  much  to  say  to  you,  that  I  am  sure  she  will  not 
know  where  to  commence,  and  I  think  she  will  be  about  as  much  puzzled 
to  describe  many  things  so  that  you  can  understand. 

Mr.  Bloohm  has  not  yet  arrived  from  the  Otoe  mission,  but  we  look 
for  him  daily.  So  soon  as  I  heard  of  Miss  G.'s  approach,  I  advised  him 
of  it,  but  he,  being  about  fifty  miles  from  the  post-office,  may  not  have 
received  the  letter.  That  you  may  better  understand  our  relative  situa 
tions,  I  will  subjoin  a  rude  outline  of  them  with  the  pen. 

Miss  G.  remained  some  time  in  St.  Louis  for  Mr.  Lowrie,  and  was 
afterwards  instructed  by  him  to  come  on  to  this  place,  he  being  prevented, 
by  low  water,  from  calling  for  her  at  St.  Louis.  Last  Friday  he  passed  up 
the  Missouri  river  to  the  Otoe  and  Ornahaw  mission,  leaving  word  that  he 
would  be  back,  at  the  farthest,  by  the  end  of  this  week.  If  Mr.  Bloohm 
be  able,  he  will  come  down  with  Mr.  L.,  if  not  before  him.  As  soon 
as  they  arrive,  we  hope  to  be  able  to  make  full  arrangements  about  all  our 
affairs,  and  you  may  expect  to  be  informed  of  all  that  will  interest  you  in 
due  time. 


EXTRACT  OF  A  LETTER  TROM  JASTE  M.  BLOOHM. 

Icivaij  and  Sac  Mission,  May  28th,  1847. 

[After  giving  several  interesting  particulars  of  her  journey  from  St.  Louis, 
and  arrival  at  the  station,  the  writer  proceeds : — ] 

I  feel  assured,  my  dear  friend,  you  would  be  pleased  with  this  institu 
tion.  The  boarding-house  is  a  most  excellent  building,  three  stories  high. 
On  the  ground  floor  are  the  dining-room,  kitchen,  pantry,  milk-house,  and 
two  sleeping-rooms.  On  the  second  story,  the  chapel  in  the  centre,  from 
back  to  front,  and  on  one  side  the  boys'  school  in  front,  with  two  small 
rooms  behind,  which  Mr.  Hamilton  occupies.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
chapel  is  the  girls'  school,  with  two  small  rooms  behind  it  for  Mr.  Irvin. 
The  third  story  has  the  girls'  bedroom,  back  and  front,  with  a  small  one  off' 
it  parted  with  deals,  where  I  sleep.  The  boys'  on  the  other  side  is  the 
same  ;  in  the  middle  is  a  spare  bedroom  and  Mr.  Irvin's  study. 

We  rise  at  five  o'clock,  and  at  half-past  assemble  in  the  chapel  for 
worship.  While  there,  breakfast  is  placed  on  the  table,  and  the  bell  rings 
again,  when  we  go  down.  There  are  four  tables,  but  not  all  full  at  present, 
as  some  of  the  children  have  left.  Mr.  Irvin  sits  at  one  table  with  the 
boys,  Mr.  Hamilton  and  his  lady  (when  able)  with  the  girls.  Our  table 
is  called  the  family  table;  there  are  Mrs.  Irvin,  their  father  and  mother. 


330  APPENDIX.— A. 

Mrs.  I.'s  two  children,  Mrs.  II. "s  eldest  girl,  the  two  men,  and  myself,  as 
also  any  other  strangers.  Mr.  Irvin's  father  and  mother  arc  two  very  old 
people  ;  they  intend  leaving  as  soon  as  Mr.  Lowrie  comes,  old  Mr.  I.  not 
being  able  to  manage  the  farm  now.  At  breakfast  each  child  has  a  pewter 
plate,  with  a  tin  pot.  turned  upside  down  upon  it,  a  knife  and  fork,  and 
spoon.  As  soon  as  a  blessing  is  asked,  they  each  turn  over  their  tin  pot, 
and  those  who  sit  with  them  at  table  fill  it  with  milk,  and  give  them  corn 
bread,  boiled  corn,  batten  cake  (which  is  much  like  our  pancake),  a  piece 
of  bacon,  and  treacle.  Of  this  they  all  cat  as  much  as  they  like.  Each 
table  is  served  the  same,  with  the  exception  that  we  have  coffee  for  break 
fast,  and  tea  for  supper.  At  dinner  there  is  sometimes  a  little  boiled  rice, 
greens,  &c.,  but  no  other  kind  of  meat  than  bacon.  We  dine  at  half-past 
twelve,  and  sup  at  seven.  After  supper  we  all  remain,  and  have  worship 
in  the  dining-room ;  sometimes  Mr.  Hamilton  prays  and  sings  in  Indian  ; 
and,  oh  !  my  beloved  friend,  could  you  only  hear  the  sweet  voices  of  those 
dear  heathen  children,  you  would  be  astonished,  they  sing  so  well.  I  do 
most  sincerely  hope  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  they  shall  not 
only  worship  Him  with  the  voice,  but  with  the  understanding,  and  in  truth. 

Mr.  II.  teaches  all  the  children  from  nine  till  twelve.  After  breakfast 
I  take  the  girls  up  to  make  their  beds ;  two  and  two  sleep  together ;  they 
did  it  so  neatly  this  morning.  When  done,  they  go  with  me  to  school  to 
sew  or  knit  till  nine,  then  again  after  dinner  till  two,  and  after  five  till 
supper-time,  when  I  assist  to  wash  their  hands  and  faces,  and  put  them  to 
bed.  Some  of  them  are  very  fine  children,  but  I  am  surprised  I  am  able 
to  go  so  near  them,  for  they  are  very  dirty  ;  but  they  seem  very  fond  of 
me.  You  will  laugh  when  I  say  that  two  or  three  of  them  often  come 
running  to  me,  and  clasp  me  round  the  waist.  They  wish  to  teach  me 
to  speak  their  language  ;  they  can  say  a  good  many  English  words ;  they 
call  their  teachers  father  and  mother.  A  few  of  them  are  very  little. 
After  I  put  on  their  nightcaps,  and  lift  them  into  bed,  they  all  repeat  a 
prayer.  You  will  be  surprised  when  I  say  I  do  feel  such  an  interest  in 
them  ;  I  do  wish  these  feelings  may  not  only  continue,  but  increase.  I  feel 
quite  happy,  and  have  never  had  the  least  feeling  of  regret  at  my  coming 
out,  and  I  trust  I  never  shall. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Irvin  are  most  desirous  for  us  to  remain  here,  but 
that  will  rest  with  Mr.  Lowrie  and  P.  B.  I  am  willing  to  go  wherever  I 
am  of  most  use.  It  is  a  most  arduous  and  responsible  office  we  each  hold, 
from  the  little  I  have  seen  (and  it  is  but  little  to  what  I  shall  see  if  the 
Lord  spare  me).  W"e  need  the  prayers  of  our  dear  friends.  Oh  !  forgot 
us  not,  you,  our  far  distant  and  beloved  friends ;  entreat  our  Heavenly 
Father  to  give  us  much  of  his  Spirit,  and  to  us  help  along.  Your  old  friend 
Little  Wolf  came  to  see  me.  He  said  I  might  give  his  and  his  family's 
love  to  you.  A  few  more  came  to  welcome  me  ;  they  are  constantly 
coming  about  the  house.  I  am  just  sent  for  to  assist  in  the  ironing,  and 
have  had  to  write  this  while  the  irons  were  heating.  There  is  no  mangle 
here.  The  children's  clothes  are  washed  and  repaired  every  week. 


APPENDIX. -A.  331 

May  31s£.--Just  as  1  finished  the  above  on  Friday  afternoon,  the 
arrival  of  two  gentlemen  was  announced.  They  were  Mr.  Lowrie  and  rny 
dear  P.  B.  The  latter  is  looking  thin,  but  upon  the  whole  is  much  better, 
as  also  much  better  than  I  expected  to  find  him  ;  as  for  colour,  an  Indian  : 
but  setting  aside  his  Indian  complexion,  I  was  glad  to  see  a  known  face, 
and  to  meet  a  beloved  friend  ;  and  nowr,  my  dear  friend,  I  can  call  him  my 
beloved  husband.  The  marriage  took  place  on  Saturday  the  29th,  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  by  Mr.  Hamilton,  in  Mr.  Irvin's  room.  Old  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Irv'm  were  there,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Irvin  junior,  Mr.  Lowrie,  Mr. 
Melody  (who  had  come  to  the  mission  on  a  visit),  and  one  of  the  men,  who 
had  expressed  a  wish  to  be  present.  Mrs.  II.  was  not  strong  enough  to 
join  us,  which  I  did  regret.  Mr.  Lowrie  has  settled  for  us  to  remain  here, 
at  least  for  some  time  ;  P.  B.  to  assist  Mr.  II.  with  the  boys  and  other 
labour,  while  I  take  the  full  charge  of  the  girls.  Oh  !  that  we  may  each 
have  strength  to  perform  these  our  arduous  duties.  The  old  people  leave 
in  a  few  days,  when  we  shall  have  their  room,  which  is  on  the  ground 
floor,  close  by  the  dining-room.  We  shall  have  to  sit  at  table  with  the 
children,  and  should  Mr.  II.  be  from  home  or  sick,  at  any  time,  we  shall 
have  the  full  charge.  We  have,  one  and  all,  made  up  our  minds  to  assist 
each  other  when  it  is  needful,  and  I  do  most  sincerely  pray  that  we  may  be 
enabled  to  labour  together  in  the  same  spirit  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus. 
It  is  His  work,  it  is  His  cause  ;  and  we  all,  I  trust,  esteem  our  privilege 
trreat,  that  we,  unworthy  as  we  are,  should  be  permitted  to  take  part  in  this 
glorious  work.  Mr.  Lowrie,  I  believe,  intends  leaving  to-morrow  ;  it  will 
be  three  wcieks  before  he  can  reach  New  York.  Mr.  Melody  left  this 
morning;  he  speaks  highly  of  the  kindness  he  received  while  in  England, 
and,  I  believe,  would  very  well  like  to  pay  a  second  visit.  *  *  *  * 

And  now,  dear  friend,  I  think  I  have  given  you  all  the  intelligence 
that  it  is  in  my  power  to  send  at  the  present  time.  It  is  likely  that  my 
dear  husband  may  send  a  note,  but  he  is  much  occupied,  and,  I  believe, 
going  to  St.  Joseph  with  Mr.  Lowrie.  He  joins  with  me  in  kindest  love 

to  you  and  Mr. ,  not  forgetting  all  our  dear  friends,  to  whom  you  will 

be  so  kind  as  to  present  it,  and  ever  believe  me  to  remain 

Your  most  affectionate  friend, 

J.  M.  BLOOIIM. 


(     332     ) 


APPENDIX.    (B.) 


HORSE-TAMING : 

Being  an  Account  of  the  successful  application,  in  tivo  recent 
Experiments  made  in  England,  of  the  expeditious  method  of 
Taming  Horses,  as  practised  by  the  Red  Indians  of  North 
America. —  Communicated  by  ALEXANDER  JOHN  ELLIS,  B.A., 
of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge^  in  1842. 


EXTRACT. 

THE  object  of  the  following  pages  is  two-fold  :  first,  to  extract  the  account 
of  the  North  American  Indian  method  of  Horse-taming,  as  given  by  Mr. 
Catlin  in  his  new  work,  entitled  '  Letters  and  Notes  on  the  Manners, 
Customs,  and  Condition  of  the  North  American  Indians,'  and  to  detail 
certain  experiments  which  have  been  tried  by  the  direction  and  in  the 
presence  of  the  Communicator  ;  and,  second,  to  urge  gentlemen,  farmers, 
stable-keepers,  horse-trainers,  horse-breakers,  and  all  others  who  may  be 
interested  in  the  taming  of  horses,  to  try  for  themselves  experiments  similar 
to  those  here  detailed,  experiments  which  are  exceedingly  easy  of  trial,  and 
will  be  found  exceedingly  important  in  result. 

The  following  is  a  detail  of  the  experiments  witnessed  and  directed  by 
the  Communicator: — 

During  a  visit  in  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  the  volumes  of  Mr. 
Catlin  first  fell  under  the  Communicator's  observation,  and  among  other 
passages  those  just  quoted  struck  him  forcibly.  Although  he  scarcely 
hesitated  to  comprehend  the  circumstances  there  detailed,  under  a  well- 
known  though  much-disputed  class  of  phenomena,  he  was  nevertheless 
anxious  to  verify  them  by  actual  experiment  before  he  attempted  to  theorize 
upon  them.  And  he  now  prefers  to  give  the  naked  facts  to  the  public,  and 
leave  his  readers  to  account  for  them  after  their  own  fashion.  It  so  hap 
pened  that,  while  staying  with  his  brother-in-law,  F.  M.,  of  M Park, 

the  Communicator  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  W.  F.  W.,  of  B ,  a 

great  amateur  in  all  matters  relating  to  horses.  In  the  course  of  conversation 
the  Communicator  mentioned  what  he  had  read  about  horse-taming,  and  the 
detail  seemed  to  amuse  them,  although  they  evidently  discredited  the  fact. 


APPENDIX.— B.  333 

The  Communicator  begged  them  to  put  the  matter  to  the  test  of  experiment, 
and  M.,  who  had  in  his  stables  a  filly,  not  yet  a  year  old,  who  had  never 
been  taken  out  since  she  had  been  removed  from  her  dam,  in  the  preceding 
November,  agreed  that  he  wrould  try  the  experiment  upon  this  filly.  The 
Communicator  made  a  note  of  the  experiments  on  the  very  days  on  which 
they  w^ere  tried,  and  he  here  gives  the  substance  of  what  he  then  wrote 
dowrri. 


EXPERIMENT  THE  FIRST. 

SUBJECT — A  Filly,  not  yet  a  year  old,  who  had  never  been  taken  out  of  the 
stable  since  she  had  been  removed  from  her  dam  in  the  preceding  November. 

Friday,  Feb.  11,  1842.— In  the  morning  W.  and  M.  brought  the  filly 
from  the  stable  to  the  front  of  M.'s  house.  The  filly  was  quite  wild,  and 
on  being  first  taken  out  of  the  stable  she  bolted,  and  dragged  W.,  who  only 
held  her  by  a  short  halter,  through  a  heap  of  manure.  W.  changed  the 
halter  for  a  long  training  halter,  which  gave  him  such  power  over  her  that 
he  was  easily  able  to  bring  the  little  scared  thing  up  to  the  front  of  the 
house.  Both  M.  and  W.  seemed  much  amused,  and  laughingly  asked  E. 
(the  Communicator)  to  instruct  them  in  Catlin's  method  of  taming  horses. 
E.  did  so  as  well  as  he  could,  quoting  only  from  memory.  The  experiment 
was  not  tried  very  satisfactorily,  but  rather  under  disadvantages.  The  filly 
was  in  the  open  air,  many  strangers  about  her,  and  both  the  experimenters 
were  seeking  rather  amusement  from  the  failure  than  knowledge  from  the 
success  of  their  experiment.  W.  kept  hold  of  the  halter,  and  M.,  with 
considerable  difficulty,  for  the  filly  was  very  restive  and  frightened,  managed 
to  cover  her  eyes.  He  had  been  smoking  just  before,  and  the  smoke  must 
have  had  some  effect  on  his  breath.  When  he  covered  her  eyes,  he  blew 
into  the  nostrils,  but  afterwards,  at  E.'s  request,  he  breathed ;  and,  as  he 
immediately  told  E.,  directly  that  he  began  to  breathe,  the  filly,  who  had 
very  much  resisted  having  her  eyes  covered  and  had  been  very  restive, 
"  stood  perfectly  still  and  trembled."  From  that  time  she  became  very 
tractable.  W.  also  breathed  into  her  nostrils,  and  she  evidently  enjoyed  it, 
and  kept  putting  up  her  nose  to  receive  the  breath.  She  was  exceedingly 
tractable  and  well  behaved,  and  very  loth  to  start,  however  much  provoked. 
The  waving  of  a  red  handkerchief,  and  the  presenting  of  a  hat  to  her  eyes, 
while  the  presenter  made  a  noise  inside  it,  hardly  seemed  to  startle  her  at  all. 

Saturday,  Feb.  12,  1842. — This  morning  the  filly  was  again  led  out  to 
show  its  behaviour,  which  was  so  good  as  to  call  forth  both  astonishment 
and  praise.  It  wras  exceedingly  tractable,  and  followed  W.  about  with  a 
loose  halter.  Attempts  were  made  to  frighten  it.  M.  put  on  a  long  scarlet 
Italian  cap,  and  E.  flapped  a  large  Spanish  cloak  during  a  violent  wind 
before  its  eyes,  and  any  well  broken-in  horse  would  have  started  much  more 
than  did  this  yearling. 


334  APPENDIX.—]]. 


EXPERIMENT  THE  SECOND. 

SUBJECT — A  Filly,  three  years  old,  coming  four,  and  very  obstinate;  quite 

unbroken-in. 

Saturday,  Feb.  12,  1842. — While  the  last  experiments  were  being  tried 
on  the  yearling,  W.  espied  13.,  a  farmer  and  tenant  of  M.,  with  several  men, 
at  the  distance  of  some  fields,  trying,  most  ineffectually,  on  the  old  system, 
to  break-in  a  horse.  W.  proposed  to  go  down  and  show  him  what  effect 
had  been  produced  on  the  yearling.  The  rest  agreed,  and  W.,  M.,  and  E. 
proceeded  towards  B.,  W.  leading  the  yearling.  On  their  way  they  had  to 
lead  her  over  a  brook,  which  she  passed  after  a  little  persuasion,  without 
force.  One  of  the  fields  through  which  she  had  to  pass  contained  four 
horses,  three  of  which  trotted  up  and  surrounded  her,  but  she  did  not 
become  in  the  least  degree  restive,  or  desirous  of  getting  loose.  When  the 
party  arrived  at  the  spot,  they  found  that  B.  and  his  men  had  tied  their  filly 
short  up  to  a  tree  in  the  corner  of  a  field,  one  side  of  which  was  walled,  and 
the  other  hedged  in.  W.  now  delivered  the  yearling  up  to  M.,  and  pro 
posed  to  B.  to  tame  his  horse  after  the  new  method,  or  (to  use  his  own 
phrase)  to  "  puff"  it.  B.,  who  was  aware  of  the  character  of  his  horse, 
anxiously  warned  W.  not  to  approach  it,  cautioning  him  especially  against 
the  fore-feet,  asserting  that  the  horse  would  rear  and  strike  him  with  the 
fore-feet,  as  it  had  ;'  lamed  "  his  own  (B.'e)  thigh  just  before  they  had  come 
up.  W.  therefore  proceeded  very  cautiously.  lie  climbed  the  wall,  and 
came  at  the  horse  through  the  tree,  to  the  trunk  of  which  he  clung  for  some 
time,  that  he  might  secure  a  retreat  in  case  of  need.  Immediately  upon  his 
touching  the  halter,  the  horse  pranced  about,  and  finally  pulled  away  with  a 
dogged  and  stubborn  expression,  which  seemed  to  bid  W.  defiance.  Taking 
advantage  of  this,  W.  leaned  over  as  far  as  he  could,  clinging  all  the  time 
to  the  tree  with  his  right  hand,  and  succeeded  in  breathing  into  one  nostril, 
without,  however,  being  able  to  blind  the  eyes.  From  that  moment  all 
became  easy.  W.,  who  is  very  skilful  in  the  management  of  a  horse,  coaxed 
it,  and  rubbed  its  face,  and  breathed  from  time  to  time  into  the  nostrils, 
while  the  horse  offered  no  resistance.  In  about  ten  minutes  W.  declared 
his  conviction  that  the  horse  was  subdued  ;  and  he  then  unfastened  it,  and, 
to  the  great  and  evident  astonishment  of  B.  (who  had  been  trying  all  the 
morning  in  vain  to  gain  a  mastery  over  it),  led  it  quietly  away  with  a  loose 
halter.  Stopping  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  with  no  one  else  near,  W. 
quietly  walked  up  to  the  horse,  placed  his  arm  over  one  eye  arid  his  hand 
over  the  other,  and  breathed  into  the  nostrils.  It  was  pleasing  to  observe 
how  agreeable  this  operation  appeared  to  the  horse,  who  put  up  jts  nose 
continually  to  receive  the  "  puff."  In  this  manner  W.  led  the  horse  through 
all  the  fields,  in  one  of  which  were  the  four  horses  already  mentioned,  who 
had  formerly  been  the  companions  of  the  one  just  tamed,  and  who  surrounded 
it,  without,  however,  making  it  in  the  least  degree  restive.  At  length  W. 
and  the  horse  reached  the  stable-yard,  where  they  were  joined  by  C.  W. 
C.  C.,  of  S Hall,  and  J.  B.  son  of  B.  the  farmer.  In  the  presence  of 


APPENDIX.— B.  335 

these,  M.,  and  E.,  W.  first  examined  the  fore-feet,  and  then  the  hind-feet 
of  the  horse,  who  offered  no  resistance,  but,  while  W.  was  examining  the 
hind-feet,  leant  its  neck  round,  and  kept  nosing  W.'s  back.  He  next 
buckled  on  a  surcingle,  and  then  a  saddle,  and  finally  bitted  the  horse  with 
a  rope.  During  the  whole  of  these  operations  the  horse  did  not  offer  the 
slightest  resistance,  nor  did  it  flinch  in  the  least  degree.  All  who  witnessed 
the  transaction  were  astonished  at  the  result  obtained.  The  Communicator 
regrets  only  that  he  is  not  at  liberty  to  publish  the  names  at  length.  This 
experiment  of  bitting  was  the  last  that.  W.  tried,  since  the  nature  of  the 

country  about  M Park  did  not  admit  of  ridings  being  tried  with  any 

prospect  of  safety.  The  whole  experiment  lasted  about  an  hour.  It  should 
be  mentioned  that  when  J.  B.,  to  whom  W.  delivered  up  the  horse,  attempted 
to  lead  it  away,  it  resisted  ;  whereupon  E.  recommended  J.  B.  to  breathe 
into  its  nostrils.  He  did  so,  and  the  horse  followed  him  easily.  The  next 
day,  B.,  who  is  severe  and  obstinate,  began  at  this  horse  in  the  old  method, 
and  belaboured  it  dreadfully,  whereupon  the  horse  very  sensibly  broke  away. 
This  result  is  important,  since  it  shows  that  the  spirit  is  subdued,  not  broken. 

These  are  all  the  experiments  which  the  Communicator  has  as  yet  had 
the  opportunity  of  either  witnessing  or  hearing  the  results  of,  but  they  are 
to  him  perfectly  satisfactory  ;  the  more  so,  that  Mr.  W.,  who  made  the 
experiments,  was  himself  perfectly  ignorant  of  any  process  of  the  kind  until 
informed  of  it  at  the  actual  time  of  making  the  experiment.  It  may  be 
considered  over-hasty  to  publish  these  experiments  in  their  present  crude 
state,  but  the  Communicator  does  so  with  a  view  to  investigation.  He  will 
have  no  opportunity  himself  of  making  any  experiments,  as  he  is  unac 
quainted  with  the  treatment  of  horses,  and  neither  owns  any  nor  is  likely 
to  be  thrown  in  the  way  of  any  unbroken  colts.  But  the  experiment  is  easy 
for  any  horse-owner,  and  would  be  best  made  in  the  stable,  where  the  horse 
might  easily  be  haltered  down  so  as  to  offer  no  resistance.  The  method 
would,  no  doubt,  be  found  efficacious  for  the  subjugation  and  taming  of 
vicious  horses.  The  readers  will,  of  course,  have  heard  of  the  celebrated 
Irish  horse-charmers.  They  never  would  communicate  the  secret,  nor 
allow  any  one  to  be  with  them  while  they  were  in  the  stable  taming  the 
horse.  It  is  agreed,  however,  that  they  approached  the  head.  The  Com 
municator  feels  sure  that  the  method  they  employed  was  analogous  to  that 
contained  in  these  pages.  Persons  have  paid  high  prices  for  having  their 
horses  charmed  ;  they  have  now  an  opportunity  of  charming  horses  them 
selves,  at  a  very  small  expense  of  time  and  labour.  Half  an  hour  will 
suffice  to  subdue  the  most  fiery  steed — the  wild  horse  of  the  prairies  of 
North  America. 

The  Communicator  has  no  object  but  that  of  benefiting  the  public  in  the 
above  communication.  The  method  is  not  his  own,  nor  has  he  the  merit  of 
having  first  published  it ;  but  he  thinks  that  he  is  the  first  who  has  caused 
the  experiment  to  be  made  in  England,  and  the  entire  success  of  that  expe 
riment  induces  him  to  make  the  present  communication,  in  the  hope  that  he 
may  benefit  not  only  his  countrymen  by  the  publication  of  a  simple,  easy, 


336  APPENDIX.— B. 

and  rapid  method  of  performing  what  was  formerly  a  long,  tedious,  and  dif 
ficult  process,  but  also  the  "  puir  beasties  "  themselves,  by  saving  them  from 
the  pains  and  tortures  of  what  is  very  aptly  termed  "  breaking -in."  Mr. 
Catliri,  indeed,  speaks  of  the  horse's  struggles  being  severe,  but  they  were 
the  struggles  of  a  wild  horse,  just  caught  on  a  prairie,  and  not  of  the 
domestic  animal  quietly  haltered  in  a  stable.  The  process  as  now  presented 
is  one  of  great  humanity  to  the  horse,  as  well  as  ease  and  economy  to  the 
horse-owner.  The  only  objections  to  it  are  its  novelty  and  simplicity. 
Those  who  have  strength  of  mind  to  act  for  themselves,  and  not  to  despise 
any  means,  however  simple  or  apparently  childish,  will  have  cause  to  rejoice 
over  the  great  results  at  which  they  will  arrive.  But  the  great  watchword 
which  the  Communicator  would  impress  upon  his  readers  is,  "  Experiment !" 

Magna  est  veritas  et  prasvalebit. 

A.  J.  E. 

Note. —  T7ie  above  experiments,  which  the  Author  has  supposed  might  be  interest 
ing  to  some  of  his  readers,  have  been  even  more  successful  than  he  would  have 
anticipated,  having  always  believed  that  to  bring  about  the  surprising  compromi. 
he  has  so  often  witnessed  by  exchanging  breath,  the  animal  should  be  a  wild  one, 
and  in  the  last  extremity  of  fear  and  exhaustion. — THE  AUTHOR. 


THE  END. 


London;  Printed  by  WILLIAM  CLOWES  and  SONS,  Stamford  Street. 


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